The Midlife Chrysalis From Hot Flashes to a Global Mission: Tamsen Fadal’s Menopause Journey
Nov 10, 2025
Tamsen Fadal, a journalist turned menopause advocate and creator of The M Factor documentary, shares her transformative journey. She recounts a pivotal moment on air that led her to confront her own menopause symptoms, like hot flashes and memory lapses. Tamsen discusses her mission to break the silence surrounding menopause and highlights the importance of education and finding certified specialists. With humor and insight, she reframes midlife as a time of opportunity, urging women to embrace their 'bolden years' and live fully.
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On-Air Panic That Changed Her Path
- Tamsen described a 2019 on-air panic with hot flashes, heart palpitations, sweating and memory lapses that forced her off a newscast.
- That episode ultimately led to her menopause diagnosis and career pivot into advocacy.
Mother's Early Death Shaped Her Mission
- Tamsen lost her mother to breast cancer at age 20 and later realized her mother likely suffered medical menopause symptoms.
- That family history deepened Tamsen's commitment to women's health advocacy.
Fitting Into TV Beauty Standards
- Tamsen described pressure in TV to conform to a narrow aesthetic, including being told her name was 'too ethnic.'
- She altered her appearance early in her career to fit industry norms and later reflected on that sexism and ageism.
