Leading campaigners on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and endometriosis will address a public meeting in Dublin North West tomorrow night, Thursday 19th February 2026.
The meeting will be hosted by Councillor Conor Reddy in Axis Ballymun.
The meeting will hear from Shauna Halpin, a North Dublin PMDD advocate who previously shared her experience of years of misdiagnosis on Virgin Media's Ireland AM. PMDD affects an estimated 3–8% of women of reproductive age. It is not “bad PMS”. It is a severe, cyclical hormone-related condition that can cause extreme depression, panic, rage, intrusive thoughts and suicidal ideation. For some women, it can be completely life-disrupting, affecting work, relationships and safety.
Shauna is campaigning to have PMDD and endometriosis included in the secondary school SPHE curriculum to raise awareness among young women who may be suffering from the conditions, as well as in undergraduate medical education and postgraduate medical training schemes, particularly in general practice. She has engaged with multiple members of the Oireachtas and hopes to organise similar public meetings across the city and the country in the near future.
Also speaking will be Jodi Maloney, an endometriosis activist from West Dublin. Endometriosis affects approximately 1 in 10 women of reproductive age. It is a chronic inflammatory condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the womb, often on the ovaries, bowel, bladder and other pelvic organs. In more severe cases, it can spread beyond the pelvis. It can cause debilitating pain, heavy bleeding, fatigue, infertility and organ dysfunction. For many women it is life-limiting.
While the HSE has recently introduced a new strategy to improve care pathways for endometriosis, many women in Ireland still face years-long waits for diagnosis and specialist treatment. The average time to diagnosis internationally remains several years, with symptoms often dismissed or normalised.
The meeting will also be addressed by Dr. Doaa Ali of the Menocure Clinic in Dublin 11, who will speak about the importance of early recognition, multidisciplinary care and enhanced training for clinicians.
Councillor Reddy (PhD Immunology) said:
“As a biomedical scientist, I have seen how research funding, publishing and medical education have historically sidelined women’s health. Conditions like PMDD and endometriosis have been under-researched, underfunded and under-recognised. We need the state to act to undo the damage that systemic medical misogyny has caused. This begins with changes to curricula, investment in service delivery and more dedicated resourcing of public health educational campaigns targeting women. ”
Shauna Halpin said:
“PMDD can feel like losing yourself every single month. For some women it is a matter of survival. We need awareness in schools so girls know what is normal and what is not. We need proper education for doctors so women are not dismissed. And we need a national conversation about how serious this condition can be.”
Jodi Maloney said:
“Endometriosis is a whole-body inflammatory disease that can take over your life. It impacts education, employment, fertility and mental health. We need specialist services that are accessible, properly funded and responsive to the scale of the problem.”
The public meeting will take place in the Axis Ballymun on Thursday 19th February 2026 at 7pm. It is open to all who wish to learn more about PMDD, endometriosis and the urgent need to strengthen women’s health services in Ireland.