In this episode, I’m joined by the incredible Lisa, founder of Make 2nds Count and The House of Hope charity in Edinburgh, who is living with secondary breast cancer while continuing to support so many others.

This is an honest, heartfelt conversation about what it really means to live with ongoing cancer treatment. I ask Lisa if she feels excluded from other menopause conversations and even from the many cancer chats out there.

We talk about saying it as it is, the emotional reality of menopause and secondary cancer, and the strategies that help day-to-day, alongside the strength, purpose and perspective that can still exist within it all.

Lisa’s work has been a shining light for me personally, especially when I was building Menopause and Cancer and recording this episode while one of our community support sessions was taking place at The House of Hope felt like a real full-circle moment.

We also share more about our upcoming Menopause Awareness Day event on the 18th June, which we’ll be marking at The House of Hope. Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter here https://menopauseandcancer.org/, and we will let you know of all of our upcoming events!

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Intro

03:55 Founding Scotland's first support center

09:31 Menopause and cancer diagnosis discussions

12:52 Discussing treatment decisions and surgery

18:27 Discussing menopause treatment options

20:36 Navigating menopause and chemo challenges

26:06 Founding a Make 2nds Count and The House of Hope

27:50 Starting a charity from my hospital bed

33:34 Charitable collaborations and community building

37:59 Balancing work and mindfulness

40:25 Menopause workshop

Links:

House of Hope: https://houseofhope.org.uk/

Make 2nds count: https://make2ndscount.co.uk/

Connect with us:

For more information and resources visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org

Or follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer

Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub

In this episode, I’m joined by GP and menopause specialist Dr Helen Wall, and we’re exploring something that so many of you have been talking about in our community — struggling with brain fog, focus, memory, total overwhelm, and that feeling of just not feeling like you can manage anymore.

We often call it brain fog. But what if, for some of us, it could be something more?

Today, we’re diving into ADHD in women, and how it can show up — or become more noticeable — during menopause and after, especially cancer treatment.

Because the reality is, many women are only being diagnosed later in life. And for those of us navigating sudden menopause, hormonal changes, and the impact of cancer treatment, it can feel even more confusing to understand what’s really going on in our brains.

This episode is here to help you make sense of it all.

We also talk about:

How do I know what’s what?

Does lifestyle help my ADHD brain?

Can you take ADHD medication after cancer?

And so much more.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Intro

06:55 Discussing menopause and mental load

10:04 Navigating neurodivergence and perimenopause

16:24 ADHD, oestrogen, and perimenopause link

17:58 The impact of menopause on brain function

22:38 Lack of education on female hormones

25:43 Understanding ADHD in women and girls

28:07 Challenges with post-cancer employment and support

34:08 ADHD medication challenges and support

39:24 ADHD and diet considerations

44:45 Navigating ADHD and menopause

You can find Helen’s book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Menopause-ADHD-neurodivergence-Vermilion-Empowered/dp/178504642X

And this is Helen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctorhelenwall/

Connect with us:

For more information and resources visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org

Or follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer

Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub

In this episode, I’m joined by Lindsey Lester, a British Menopause Society-accredited specialist and breast cancer survivor, for an essential conversation on bone health after cancer and menopause.

Bone health is one of the most common — and least talked about — long-term effects of cancer treatment. Whether your menopause was triggered suddenly by treatment or has developed over time, the impact on your bones can be significant.

We explore how treatments such as chemotherapy, endocrine therapies (including tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors), steroids, and treatment-induced menopause can all affect bone density — across different types of cancer, not just breast cancer.

We also talk about who may be most at risk, how quickly bone density can change, and why bone loss is often called a “silent” condition — with many people not realising until much later.

A key part of this conversation is understanding DEXA scans — when to have one, how often to monitor your bone health, and what it really means if you’re told you have osteopenia or osteoporosis.

But most importantly, this episode is about what you can do.

From nutrition and movement to medications and monitoring, Lindsey shares clear, practical ways to protect your bones — and answers one of the biggest questions so many people have after cancer:

Can we improve our bone health without HRT?

This episode will help you feel more informed, more in control, and better equipped to make decisions about your long-term health.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Intro

06:09 Participant introductions and background questions

09:00 Discussing osteoporosis awareness plan

13:03 Postmenopausal bone health risks

15:16 Discussing bone health awareness

20:08 Young people unaware of health risks

22:49 Discussing tamoxifen and ovarian function

28:51 Experiencing medical and surgical menopause

31:37 Calcium and vitamin D for bone health

39:52 Tracking calcium on a vegan diet

44:54 Discussing exercise for bone health

49:30 Cholesterol management with exercise

51:47 Benefits of building muscle

Here are some links we mentioned:

https://theros.org.uk/information-and-support/bone-health/nutrition-for-bones/calcium/calcium-rich-food-chooser/

https://strwebstgmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/0lhowmrk/about-exercise-fact-sheet-february-2019.pdf

You can find Lindsey here: https://healthinmenopause.co.uk/meet-the-team/

Connect with us:

For more information and resources visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org

Or follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer

Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub