Beyond Migraine – First Of Its Kind Podcast Series Produced In Ireland Launches To Support People Living With Migraine

The Beyond Migraine podcast, a partnership between The Migraine Association of Ireland and Teva Pharmaceuticals Ireland, provides support for people in Ireland living with migraine

• The podcast covers topics such as the impact of migraine on mental health, managing a migraine in the workplace and the influence of hormones and pregnancy on the condition
• Contributors include Irish football legend Tony Cascarino, Virgin Media presenter Anna Daly and former Miss Ireland Aoife Walsh
• The podcast was developed in response to research undertaken by Teva Pharmaceuticals Ireland which showed the serious impact migraine has on quality of life, with 53% of people living with migraine in Ireland experiencing exhaustion and 30% feeling depressed as a result of their condition 01
• It’s estimated that 12-15% of people suffer from migraine in the Republic of Ireland which is approximately 500,000 people 02 

Beyond Migraine, a new podcast series to support more than 500,000 people in Ireland living with migraine 02, was launched today by the Migraine Association of Ireland in partnership with Teva Pharmaceuticals Ireland. The Beyond Migraine podcast provides easy to access advice, support and information, giving the opportunity for migraine patients to hear first-hand from others like them living with the condition.

Hosted by migraine patient Debbie Hutchinson, several well-known names appear as guests, including:

• Tony Cascarino – Former professional football player
• Anna Daly – Virgin Media presenter, businesswomen and lifestyle influencer
• Nicola Halloran – chef and author of bestselling cookbook The Wonky Spatula
• Aoife Walsh – Fashion model and former Miss Ireland

They will be joined by leading healthcare professionals with an interest in migraine, including:

• Dr Martin Ruttledge - Consultant Neurologist at the Hermitage Clinic
• Esther Tomkins - Clinical Nurse Specialist at the Migraine Clinic, Beaumont Hospital
• Dr Edward O’Sullivan - Director of the Cork Migraine Clinic
• Dr Mary Kearney - GP with a special interest in migraine and co-author of the ICGP Migraine Quick Reference Guide
• Julie Sugrue - Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist with a particular interest in migraine at ULHG University of Limerick Hospital Group
• Dr Sinead Beirne - GP Lead at St. Vincent's University Hospital Headache Clinic, Director of The Headache Clinic and resident doctor on Ireland AM

There will be six episodes, episode one is available from Thursday September 2^nd, with further episodes dropping every Monday. Each episode deals with a different topic relating to insights into the lived experience of migraine patients that were revealed in Teva’s survey.

1. Episode 1 – Migraine & Your Mental Health
   Living with migraine can have a serious impact on mental health, with 30% of patients stating they feel depressed and sad as a result of their condition 01. Dr Sabina Brennan, Irish Neuroscientist, Aoife Gallagher and Jane Whelan, who both live with migraine, join host Debbie Hutchinson to discuss issues such as the link between migraine and mental health, what people with migraine can do to reduce stress and anxiety and coping with the emotions of feeling you may be a burden on family and friends.
   
   
2. Episode 2 – Migraine & the Influence of Hormones
   Approximately 60% of women with migraine note an increased number of attacks in association with their menstrual period. However, 60% of women living with migraine experience improvements during pregnancy, particularly during the second and third trimesters 03. Virgin Media presenter Anna Daly and Dr Mary Kearney GP will discuss how migraine can be heavily influenced by hormones.
   
   
3. Episode 3 – Migraine & Exercise
   44% of people said that their ability to take part in exercise or sport had been impacted by migraine 01. Irish football legend Tony Cascarino, who lives with migraine, will be joined by Dr Edward O’Sullivan and Physiotherapist Julie Sugrue to dive into how people living with migraine manage exercise in their lives.
   
   
4. Episode 4 – Understanding Migraine Triggers
   Former Miss Ireland Aoife Walsh and Ireland AM’s Dr Sinead Beirne will examine what can trigger a migraine attack, and how these can be managed.
   
   
5. Episode 5 – Migraine & the Workplace
   41% of people said that migraine has impacted on their career, with 24% saying they’ve felt the need to hide their condition from colleagues or their boss 01. The Wonky Spatula author Nicola Halloran, alongside Clinical Nurse Specialist Esther Tomkins, will be discussing working with migraine and how to manage stressful periods in life.
   
   
6. Episode 6 – How to Cope with an Unexpected Migraine
   Patrick Little, former CEO of the Migraine Association of Ireland and Dr Martin Ruttledge will be chatting with Ciara O’Rourke, a Dublin nurse who lives with migraine to go through some practical tips and advice on what to do during the onset of an unexpected migraine attack.

Debbie Hutchinson, Beyond Migraine Host, who lives with migraine, said:

“I have lived with migraine for over 17 years. I recognise the impact that the disease has on my own quality of life. Hearing real life stories from others coping and living with migraine, coupled with advice from healthcare professionals on how to better manage migraine, is central to the Beyond Migraine podcast series. I believe it will be a lifeline for those who have just been diagnosed or are living with migraine.”

Pascal Derrien, CEO of the Migraine Association of Ireland said:

“We are delighted to be launching the Beyond Migraine podcast series today in partnership with Teva Pharmaceuticals Ireland. We know that the COVID-19 pandemic has meant that some people living with migraine have felt more isolated or have had restricted or reduced access to healthcare professionals. Therefore, we believe that the podcast will serve to provide support and advice to those living with the disease within the comfort of their own home. I would recommend anyone who is living with migraine, and their family or loved ones, to listen to the podcast series which tackles many areas that are often overlooked in the management of migraine.”

Speaking about her migraine journey, Virgin Media TV presenter Anna Daly said:

“I only realised I suffered from migraines in the last couple of years. Through my teenage years I would have headaches and it took me quite a long time to create some kind of correlation between the headaches and my menstrual cycle and relate them directly to hormones. Often when you suffer from a migraine there’s a sense that you don’t want to let people down and you try and hide your migraine rather than say I can’t do something or participate in something as a result of migraine. I hope by telling my story it will give people a better understanding of the disease and the impact it can have on life and how families and friends can support that person.”

Former professional football player, Tony Cascarino said:

“Managing migraines has been an ongoing part of my life since I was 19. Over time, I realised that stress was often the trigger for my migraines so managing and reducing stress was an important part of my management of the disease. Thankfully, I did not experience much stress before football games but the comedown, particularly after big games like Italia ’90, could trigger a migraine for me. When that happened, I was not able to train the next day and would just want to sleep and shut the out the world. I hope that by sharing my story on the Beyond Migraine podcast that I can help others to realise they are not alone.”

Dr Martin Ruttledge, Consultant Neurologist at the Hermitage Clinic said:

“Migraine is the third most common disease in the world and ranked as the seventh most disabling non-fatal medical condition among all diseases, and second most disabling non-fatal medical condition in females by the WHO (World Health Organisation) due to the personal and societal burden of pain, disability, damaged quality of life and financial cost. The Beyond Migraine podcast addresses a lot of these challenges and provides both clinical advice and real life stories from others with practical advice and tips on management strategies that can be employed. Anyone living with migraine should tune in to find out more. There are preventative treatments available for people living with migraine and patients should always seek advice from their healthcare professional if they have any questions or concerns.”

Clodagh Kevans, Director of Speciality Medicines for Teva Pharmaceuticals Ireland speaking about the podcast launch said:

“At Teva Pharmaceuticals Ireland we are committed to supporting people living with migraine, an often-misunderstood disease. We’re proud to have partnered with the Migraine Association of Ireland to produce the Beyond Migraine podcast series to shine a light on the impact migraine can have on all aspects of daily life to better help them manage their disease.”

The podcast will be available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Episode One is available from Thursday September 2^nd, with further episodes dropping every Monday. To join the conversation, use the hashtag #BeyondMigraine.

For information on migraine support and services available in Ireland, visit migraine.ie

To see results of the Beyond Migraine survey of Irish migraine patients, visit www.teva.ie/patients/beyond-migraine/

For further information please contact Wilson Hartnell:

• Marie Lynch, Tel: 087 973 0522 or marie.lynch@ogilvy.com
• Sally McLoughlin, Tel: 087 972 2549 or sally.mcloughlin@ogilvy.com

About Migraine

Migraine is the most common neurological condition in the world, affecting about 12 – 15% of people. It is three times more common in women than it is in men and is usually inherited. It is a very individual condition. Some people experience only one or two attacks per year while others experience migraine on a weekly basis. An attack can last from 4 to 72 hours. 02

About Teva

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. has been developing and producing medicines to improve people’s lives for more than a century. We are a global leader in generic and specialty medicines with a portfolio consisting of over 3,500 products in nearly every therapeutic area. Around 1 million people in Ireland take a Teva medicine every day and are served by one of the largest and most complex supply chains in the pharmaceutical industry. Along with our established presence in generics, we have significant innovative research and operations supporting our growing portfolio of specialty and biopharmaceutical products. Teva employs around 800 people in Ireland and has three sites in the Republic of Ireland, one in County Waterford and two in Co. Dublin. For more information about Teva Pharmaceuticals Ireland please visit www.teva.ie

Facebook: @TevaIreland
Instagram: @TevaUKIreland
Twitter: @Teva_UK

About the Migraine Association of Ireland

The Migraine Association of Ireland is Ireland’s only patient charity providing support, education, information, and reassurance to people suffering from migraine and other headache disorders. The Migraine Association of Ireland provide free educational courses on self-management and understanding migraine for people with migraine, and certified health professional courses for GPs and other HCPs.

The Migraine Association of Ireland also lobby and advocate on behalf of migraine sufferers to access new treatments and to ensure they have access to current treatments. They operate an information line and produce a member’s magazine three times a year with national and international news of interest to those with migraine. They also have a variety of information resources on social media and they have a selection of information leaflets including a migraine diary to help track and identify your triggers. To find out more please visit www.migraine.ie or click on the relevant link below.

Facebook: @MigraineIreland
Instagram: @MigraineIreland
Twitter: @MigraineIreland

Original Teva Ref: MIG-IE-NP-00047
Date of Preparation: August 2021

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References

1. Back to contents.

   Beyond Migraine: The Real You Research by Teva Pharmaceuticals. Research conducted by Empathy Research. Prepared October 2020

2. Back to contents.

   What is a migraine? Migraine Association of Ireland. https://migraine.ie/what-is-a-migraine/ Last accessed: July 2021

3. Back to contents.

   Migraine and Women. Migraine Association of Ireland. https://migraine.ie/migraine-and-women/. Last accessed: July 2021