10/18/2026
I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 26. At an age when menopause was supposed to be decades away, cancer treatment put me into medically induced menopause.
And let me tell you, menopause in your 20s is about so much more than hot flashes.
It can affect your sleep, energy, mood, sexual health, fertility, bone health, and overall quality of life. And for many young adults with cancer, these changes happen while we’re already navigating the physical and emotional demands of treatment.
For me, ovarian suppression has become part of my ongoing cancer care. It’s a reminder that surviving cancer doesn’t mean the effects of treatment simply disappear.
As both a breast cancer survivor and a researcher, I believe we need to have more conversations about the long-term consequences of cancer treatment, especially for young adults whose reproductive health, relationships, careers, and futures may be affected.
On World Menopause Day, I want to remind everyone that menopause isn’t exclusively a midlife experience. Sometimes it’s medically induced. Sometimes it happens decades earlier than expected. And sometimes it’s a necessary part of treating cancer.
We deserve more than survival. We deserve comprehensive survivorship care that addresses our quality of life, too. 💗
Breast cancer awareness must extend beyond diagnosis and treatment.
