The Missing Menopause Conversation for Breast and Ovarian Cancer Survivors - #142
Most of the menopause conversation happening right now, on social media, in podcasts, in the press, is aimed at women going through a natural hormonal transition. But there is a population of women whose menopause arrived differently. Suddenly and surgically. In the middle of one of the most frightening experiences of their lives, a cancer diagnosis or a high-risk prevention decision.
This episode is for those women. And for every woman who loves one of them. My mother was 50 years old, on hormone therapy, when her breast cancer was diagnosed. Nobody talked about menopause then, what her future would look like, how the diagnosis would affect her long-term health, or what her options were. It wasn't until I was in my mid-forties, two decades later, that my own doctor finally brought up perimenopause.
My guest, Elana Silber, CEO of Sharsheret, a national nonprofit supporting women, men, and families facing breast and ovarian cancer. Elana has spent her career at the intersection of cancer, women's health, and community, and she brings both professional expertise and deep personal commitment to one of the most underreported conversations in the menopause space: what happens when cancer forces the conversation.
In this episode, we cover:
The difference between natural menopause and surgically or chemically induced menopause after cancer treatment
What breast and ovarian cancer diagnosis means for a woman's hormonal health, immediately and long-term
Navigating survivorship and menopause simultaneously, the symptoms, the decisions, and the silence around both
Hereditary cancer risk and what women need to know before menopause arrives
How Sharsheret supports women and families through diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship If this episode resonates with you, share it with the women in your life navigating cancer, survivorship, or a hereditary risk decision.
This is a conversation that needs to reach further than it currently does. Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Do not use this content to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Consult your physician for any medical concerns. This disclaimer applies to all guests featured on this podcast.
Learn more about Sharsheret:
Website: www.sharsheret.org
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