‘Months after winning gold I was going through menopause at 29′

Erin Kennedy MBE has an impressive list of titles and achievements, particularly in the rowing world where she holds three World Championships, four European Championships, a Guinness World Record and two Paralympic Golds at Tokyo and Paris.

However, between her Paralympic milestones, the coxswain added a new title to her list: breast cancer survivor and campaigner. Just nine months after her triumph in Tokyo, the 29-year-old was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer and was weeks away from starting chemotherapy.

One thing she didn’t anticipate facing before her 30s, even in light of her diagnosis, was menopause. Erin, like many others, wasn’t aware of the impact cancer and its treatment could have on her fertility until her diagnosis.

It was only when researching her chemotherapy that she discovered it. Despite this, she confessed that the thought of not being able to have children “felt secondary” when faced with “confronting my own mortality”.

As part of the Boots + Macmillan Journeys through Cancer and Menopause campaign, the professional athlete told Express: “It’s something that is so huge in anyone’s life let alone when you’re also facing a cancer diagnosis.”

Just two weeks after her initial consultation, Erin received a life-changing call while on her way to her first chemo session – she now had 9 embryos safely frozen. At just 29, she underwent an induced artificial menopause, a step taken in the hope of preserving her fertility amid cancer treatment.

She opened up about her experience: “I was quite lucky that I didn’t suffer any social stigma but I almost suffered ignorance, not intended but just people had no idea so you’re having to educate people twice on what you need support wise but also that you need support in the first place.

“It’s something that doesn’t even cross people’s minds. It’s not featured on TV, everyone knows you’ll lose your hair and actually not everyone loses their hair on chemo but what they don’t know is most young people do go through an artificially induced menopause. That’s probably more common than the hair loss. The more we talk about it, the more people are aware.”

Erin also highlighted the lack of resources for young people in her situation, until she discovered the Boots Macmillan information pharmacist service: “I didn’t feel like there were many people my age going through it, the people who were going through it were much much older. One of the most amazing things I was able to access was the Boots Macmillan information pharmacist service.

“It was really useful to be able to access them and talk to them without feeling like I was bothering my oncologist or randomly Googling questions. I could just pop down to the high street, ask a pharmacist a specific menopause-cancer-related question and I know I’d get advice really specific to me because I wasn’t just going through menopause, it was cancer-induced menopause.

“This service just means people can go and just ask, they’re not feeling embarrassed. It’s super easy, it’s free and they’re getting it from a trusted source. And it wasn’t just for me, my husband could go and speak to them too, they’re really great at supporting your loved ones going through cancer as well as the patient.”

For this Paralympian, menopause posed the biggest challenges in the gym as she maintained her training regime during her treatments. She lauded the benefits of exercise in managing her body’s response to therapy but noted that it was the hot flushes that presented the greater barrier.

Rachel revealed: “I always had ice, always made sure I had fans, cold towels, ice packs, whatever I could to help manage my core temperature.”

Additionally, she spoke candidly about dealing with brain fog, a side effect of treatment that she found particularly frustrating: “The other challenge I found was brain fog but the good thing is when you’re exercising and training, you don’t really need to think that much. Actually, that wasn’t too bad when I was training but the brain fog was definitely one of my least favourite side effects. I just felt like I couldn’t be sharp.”

Erin returned triumphantly to her sport full-time in 2023 after being given the all-clear, not losing a single international match – and topped it off by clinching gold at this year’s Paris Paralympics. The victory tasted sweeter than ever for the cancer survivor whose journey is still underway, with both menopause and cancer in the mix.

She disclosed: “We are looking at having children sooner rather than later because I have the BRCA gene so I’m genetically predisposed to ovarian cancer as well. I’ll be having my ovaries removed, so going into normal menopause, before I’m 40. The journey for me is very much not over, it’s very much present and I think everyone has to do what’s right for them to keep their head calm and do what they need when they want to have a family. There’s no right or wrong way.”

She also offered heartfelt advice for those facing the daunting prospect of another diagnosis on top of cancer, saying: “Just remember that everyone is on your side, everyone is here to support you. One of the really difficult things I had just having to trust (my oncologist). I encourage everyone to ask as many questions that make you feel comfortable, there are never silly questions. Ask whatever you need. Her advice for those preserving their fertility is a bit similar: “.

Erin Kennedy, who is collaborating with Boots and Macmillan Cancer Support to spotlight early menopause from cancer treatment, advises those looking into fertility preservation not to rush consultations. She mentioned, “Don’t feel bad taking up time in that initial consultation. You’re going to be asked some really challenging questions particularly if you are with a partner about, for example, if one person passes away would they still want to use the eggs and you have to make those decisions quite quickly.

“Take the time before the consultation to do some preparation and read into it but don’t be alarmed if things move at a quick pace, particularly if you’re doing fertility preservation as a result of cancer treatment because obviously, they want to crack on with the treatment so you can get better and hopefully be around to raise your children.”

For those seeking more information on this subject, Kennedy directs them to https://www.boots.com/healthhub/womens-health/menopause-support/early-menopause.