Grainne Convery is typical of so many young people who during A-levels was encouraged down the university route only to find it wasn’t for her. She left a computer science course at Queen’s after a year and a half and tried different roles including barbering before finally finding her true vocation at the age of 25. The one thing she…
There has long been a collective belief that science, engineering, technology and maths – collectively known as STEM – are a male domain. So, as more women are following careers in STEM industries, it is important to celebrate those who challenge these stereotypes and are attempting to change the narrative. Hannah Miller and Jodie Jordan, for example, both work for…
RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME Tracy McCausland is proof that being breast aware can save your life. The mum of two, who lives in the countryside outside Lisburn with her two sons, dog, cat, alpacas and hens, was diagnosed with breast cancer by Action Cancer. Given her age at the time, she was not eligible for the NHS routine breast screening…
KINTALA RESORT & SPA Local Women Magazine editor Lisa Smyth takes refuge from deadlines and downpours at Kintala Resort & Spa. What do you get when Storm Agnes meets the Local Women Magazine deadline week? The answer is, quite simply, a very stressed-out editor. Without boring you with the ins and outs of my domestic situation, the power to our…
The loss experienced by the family of Derry woman Shannon Meenan-Browse is inconceivable. At the end of August, the 32-year-old mum of four became the latest tragic victim of weight loss surgery in Turkey gone catastrophically wrong. Shannon travelled abroad as a last-ditch attempt to lose the weight she put on following the sudden deaths of her sister and brother…
Aside from buying a house or having a baby, it’s difficult think of a life event more important – or expensive – than getting married. Pledging your eternal love to your significant other, promising to walk by their side and help shield them from all of life’s trials, making your vows in front of family and friends – everything about…
Rita McAlonan is a woman whose steely determination has seen her survive against the odds. The mum of two from Nutts Corner was dealt a devastating blow when she was diagnosed with advanced metastatic breast cancer in January 2021 – made even more difficult to accept as she was alone at the time, and it came after multiple trips to…
Gina Potter counts the likes of Charlotte Hawkins, Nadia Sawalha and Jenni Falconer among the fans of her funky hand-printed t-shirts. The fashion-forward Bangor entrepreneur set up her business after a bowel cancer diagnosis when she was just 42 years old forced her to reassess her life priorities. Gina believes her story demonstrates it is possible to live again after…
Life for most teenagers is filled with homework, nights out with friends and worrying about exam results. However, by the time Ruthie Stewart was 19 years old, she had made peace with the idea of her own death after years of suffering with inflammatory bowel disease. Aged just 15 when doctors told her she had Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis,…
Margaret McVey was in her late 30s when she received a life-changing diagnosis. An MRI scan revealed she had multiple sclerosis (MS), a neurological condition that causes a range of symptoms including difficulty walking, blurred vision and painful muscle spasms. At the time doctors told her she had MS, Margaret, from The Loup, had a young family and the unknown…