Health · Healthcare & Policy · 8 hrs ago
Women seek better menopause support after breast cancer treatment
Breast cancer treatment brought Jo Menneer’s menopause symptoms back sharply after she had to stop taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Menneer, 55, lives in East Yorkshire and was diagnosed in 2022.
Cancer treatments can trigger menopause, sometimes suddenly and either temporarily or permanently.
Menneer and Claire Hurst say they were not prepared for this effect or given enough information about managing it.
They want support and information from the start of treatment, tailored to each patient.
The Department of Health and Social Care says its National Cancer Plan will include personalised care plans that recognise long-term effects, including menopause.
Menneer’s York support group connects women facing similar challenges, while Hurst runs a clinic in West Yorkshire that works with women experiencing menopause, including during or after breast cancer treatment.
Women treated for breast cancer say they need better information and support for menopause symptoms caused or intensified by treatment.
Jo Menneer said her symptoms returned soon after she stopped hormone replacement therapy for surgery.
Claire Hurst said medication put her into a medically induced menopause without time to adjust.
Both women say the effects were not adequately discussed, while Menneer calls for information tailored to each patient from the start of treatment.
The Department of Health and Social Care says its National Cancer Plan will include menopause among the long-term effects addressed in ongoing care.
- Who
- Women including Jo Menneer and Claire Hurst, who experienced menopause symptoms during or after breast cancer treatment.
- What
- They are calling for greater awareness, information and support for menopause related to cancer treatment.
- When
- Menneer was diagnosed in 2022; Hurst was diagnosed at 50. The article was published on 8 November 2026.
- Where
- Menneer is from East Yorkshire and helps run a support group in York; Hurst is based in Addingham, West Yorkshire.
- Why
- Breast cancer treatment can trigger menopause or worsen symptoms, and the women say they were not prepared for this effect.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Jo Menneer was diagnosed with breast cancer.
She stopped taking hormone replacement therapy as part of her treatment, which included surgery.
Claire Hurst was diagnosed with breast cancer and received medication that rapidly put her into a medically induced menopause.
The BBC published the article about women seeking better menopause support after breast cancer treatment.
- Jo Menneer’s age
- 55
- Menneer’s diagnosis
- 2022
- Claire Hurst’s age at diagnosis
- 50
- Hurst’s current age
- 53
- Menneer’s support group
- York
- Hurst’s clinic
- Rebalance Clinic, Addingham, West Yorkshire
What people are saying
I never in my life thought that it would impact my menopause and it was never discussed. So it was a bit of a shock.
You are literally plummeted into the menopause.
so the long-term effects of treatment, including menopause, are recognised and built into their ongoing care