Northamptonshire cancer survivor joins forces with Macmillan to break the ‘menopause taboo’

Skye Bicknell, 31, was diagnosed with a rare form of cervical cancer when she was just 25 after her first smear test, resulting in an intensive spell of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and brachytherapy.

The treatment destroyed the tumours, however it also resulted in permanent damage which left her unable to have children and going through the menopause at just 26 years old.

Skye struggled alone with “life-changing” symptoms for several years, which significantly impacted her mental health, before turning to Macmillan for support.

Now she’s working with the Macmillan Cancer Information and Support team at Northampton General Hospital to co-design an early menopause workshop to encourage women to seek support for their symptoms.

Skye said: “Cancer is the loneliest journey you can face in your life, but to then live with the life-long permanent damage afterwards, is really hard. Going through the menopause at such a young age had a huge impact on my life. I really struggled. It impacted me mentally. I kept thinking, I’m young, I shouldn’t be going through this. There was no support out there.”

Skye, along with another young cervical cancer survivor from Northampton – Sophie Palmer – who also went through early menopause as a result of her cancer diagnosis, wanted to turn their experience into something that could help others.

Skye said: “If I can turn what happened to me into something that can help someone else, then I can die happy. I didn’t have any support going through it, I was a lone wolf. There was nobody around me who had dealt with cancer, never mind the menopause. People just didn’t understand what I was going through. Now with everything I do, I try to encourage women to go for their smear test and talk about early menopause.”

The monthly workshops are aimed at women under 40 going through early menopause as a result of cancer or another health condition. Skye, Sophie and the Macmillan team provide tips and information on dealing with symptoms, along with an opportunity to talk to medical professionals and other women going through the same experience.

Wendy Lilley, Macmillan Information and Support Lead at the centre in Northampton General Hospital, said: “Sophie and Skye both expressed a need for more support for younger ladies going through a medically or surgically induced menopause. It has been a pleasure to work with the ladies who have led on the design and promotion of the menopause workshop. They are the experts by experience, and we are there by their side to offer clinical advice, information and Support for the ladies who attend.”

If you would like to sign up for one of the workshops you can contact contact Wendy at the Macmillan Information and Support Centre at Northampton General Hospital on [email protected].

For information, support or just someone to talk to, call the Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 00 00 or visit macmillan.org.uk