Cracking the Menopause Alice Smellie, Marie Louise Connolly & Ciara Geraghty

Join us for frank and honest chats about a topic that half the population will experience, but barely anyone really talks about.

Our contributors include health journalist Alice Smellie, one of the authors of Cracking the Menopause, Ciara Geraghty, author of the heartwarming novel Queen Bee, and BBC NI’s Health Correspondent Marie-Louise Connolly.

Designed to equip you with the knowledge you need to manage your symptoms from perimenopause onwards, Cracking The Menopause separates the myths from the reality and offers expertise, hope and advice – with a generous side order of humour.
'I inhaled this book, it's fantastic. Women of all ages need to read it. It's genuinely helped me understand why I wake up at 5 a.m. and made me laugh along the way.' Claudia Winkelman

Writer Alice Smellie is co-author of Cracking The Menopause with Mariella Frostrup, as well as a founder and director of campaign group Menopause Mandate. She has written about health, beauty and lifestyle for such publications as Marie Claire, The Times, The Daily Telegraph and The Daily Mail.

Ciara Geraghty is a bestselling Irish novelist. She lives in Dublin and is the proud owner of one husband, two ‘technically’ grown-up children, a teenager and a handsome but unstable dog called Gary. When she is not writing in her garret, Ciara loves reading, swimming in the sea and playing her violin. She also co-hosts the podcast BookBirds.

BBC Northern Ireland’s Health Correspondent, Marie-Louise Connolly, has been at the forefront of health and social care news since she took up the role in 2009. We have watched her broadcasting stories around women’s health including, cervical smears investigation, Endometriosis, Menopause and good heart health. Other reports include investigations into Muckamore Abbey Hospital, Neurology Inquiry, Mesh implants for men and women, The Bracca1 cancer gene, Mental health and many more. Marie-Louise has a special interest in Menopause health having spoken publicly of her own experience. Most recently we have watched her almost daily reporting on coronavirus – a relentless task as we have watched families being devastated by the virus as thousands of lives have been lost. Marie-Louise told us about the first positive case and the first life to be taken here in NI. It’s a 24/7 role which she says she loves. Keeping her sane at home is husband Aidan and their kids Niamh and Rory.

Fiona Bell has over 20 years experience of working in a variety of roles in the cultural sector.  Her day job sees her working in the field of research and evaluation, but outside of work hours she morphs into a bookworm, voraciously devouring books of all kinds and formats. Particularly passionate about anything that impacts on the lives of women, Fiona looks forward to some menopause conversations with the experts.