In this profound episode of Women of a Certain Stage, host Lauren Turin speaks with Tara Ferguson about her journey from a breast cancer diagnosis at 41 to founding her own consultancy focused on supporting businesses managing cancer in the workplace. Tara shares the raw reality of her diagnosis, treatment, and the medical menopause that followed, while highlighting the critical gaps in workplace support and the intersection between cancer treatment and menopause.

With 20 years of HR and employee wellbeing experience, Tara brings a unique perspective—combining corporate strategic expertise with deeply personal lived experience to help organizations better support employees impacted by cancer, whether as patients or carers.

Key Timestamps

[00:01:00] Meeting Lauren at a conference and the impact of menopause awareness

[00:02:00] Breast cancer diagnosis at 41 despite clear mammogram

[00:03:00] Recognizing unusual symptoms: pain and texture changes

[00:05:00] The one-stop breast clinic experience and three-hour diagnostic process

[00:08:00] Trusting your body and gut instinct during uncertainty

[00:11:00] Understanding hormone receptor positive breast cancer

[00:14:00] Telling her 12-year-old daughter about the diagnosis

[00:16:00] "Cadmin"—cancer admin and seeking counseling support

[00:17:00] Exceptional line management: halving workload overnight

[00:20:00] When menopause wasn't mentioned during cancer treatment planning

[00:23:00] Oncotype scores and determining chemotherapy treatment plans

[00:26:00] The impact on partners, carers, and children

[00:28:00] The power of being open about diagnosis and feeling loved

[00:31:00] Working during chemo: letting employees lead the way

[00:33:00] Transitioning from corporate role to founding Onward With You

[00:38:00] The business case: cancer impacts more people than maternity leave

[00:42:00] Thinking of cancer as chronic illness, not acute event

[00:45:00] First steps: ask questions before deciding what to do

[00:49:00] Medical menopause: ovarian suppression and estrogen elimination

[00:51:00] The reality over a year beyond active treatment

[00:53:00] Gaps in specialized care for cancer-induced menopause

[00:57:00] "Make the most of it"—finding joy and appreciation

Key Takeaways

• Pain is not always a typical sign of breast cancer—trust your body and seek second opinions
• Cancer diagnosis makes you disabled under UK Equality Act for life, requiring reasonable adjustments
• Medical menopause from cancer treatment is often overlooked in treatment planning
• The population affected by cancer (patients + carers) is larger than new parents in most organizations
• Best practice line management: let the employee lead, offer options, focus on flexibility
• Cancer should be viewed as a chronic illness with ongoing impact, not just an acute event
• Being open about diagnosis can create unexpected support and community
• Employees undergoing treatment can still add value through "important but not urgent" work
• Specialized menopause care for cancer patients requires bridging oncology and menopause expertise
• Small acts of recognition for carers and children make enormous difference

Take Action!

Connect with Tara Ferguson: Learn more about supporting cancer in the workplace at Onward With You LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-ferguson-onward/

Website: http://onwardwithyou.com/

Explore the Working with Cancer Pledge for your organization

Resources mentioned:

• Maggie's Cancer Care Centers
• The Osborne Trust (supporting children of parents with cancer)
• Menopause and Cancer charity (Danny Bennington)

Transform your career in women's health:

• Visit https://www.womenofacertainstage.com/ to enroll in the CPD Certified Menopause Coach Diploma
• Book workplace strategy workshops & keynote talks
• Download menopause toolkits
• Schedule your free strategy call at https://bookme.name/womenofacertainstage/pod