Maureen Busby
CEO & Founder
PCOS Vitality

"I decided to set up PCOS Vitality due to the lack of awareness of the condition among both the medical profession and the public and hope to be a positive force for change and in turn improve the lives of those with PCOS".  Maureen Busby, Dip Nutrition Practitioner, BSc Hons, MSc, MBPs

Maureen is a MSc Health Psychology graduate & published author.  She is a graduate member of the British Psychological Society & an Associate Member of the Faculty of Clinical Health Obesity Network.  Maureen is passionate about Mental Health and is an Expert Reviewer for Rethink Mental Health.  She is also a member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Women's Voices Panel, the Women's Gynae Health Alliance, the Patient and Client Council in Northern Ireland, the NI Association for the Study of Obesity Network & is on the lived experience panel of the Obesity Health Alliance.  Maureen has carried out research in PCOS & Menopause & presented her findings at the British Psychological Society NI Branch Annual Conference in Belfast in April, 2019.  Maureen also holds the Certificate in Menopause Symptoms Remedies & the Diploma for Nutrition Practitioners & Certificate for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Eating Disorders. 

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Susanne Busby
Co-Founder
 

"PCOS clearly runs in our family.  Yet, we have always had to advocate for help for ourselves.  Having a daughter myself, makes me all the more passionate about improving services & support for those of us with PCOS.  It is well beyond time that changes were made so that women and people with PCOS have the adequate support & healthcare provision they need not only in terms of reproductive health but also psychological support and wellbeing."

Nisha Sharma
Peer Support Group Manager

"Hi, I’m Nisha Sharma and I have recently joined this lovely team!  I was diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 16 due to an absence of periods, heavy periods and awful PMS.  I was sent on my merry way with the pill to help the periods become regular and to help with the facial hair.  This was to be the case for several years and still being none the wiser about my diagnosis. 

Over the last few years, doing my own research and joining this wonderful group- I have found my own ‘pill’.  I eat healthy (still have the urge for biscuits and chocolates), I exercise when I can, monthly reflexology and massages."

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Sunila Siddiqui
Peer Support Group Manager

"My name is Sunila Siddiqui, I am a part of DAisy PCOS Leadership Programme initiated by University of Birmingham and Wellcome Trust. I am a Master’s student in Healthcare Management and Leadership at University of Worcester.

Diagnosed around the age of 16, I realise now I had a few visible symptoms, such as excessive facial hair and acne since I was 11. I did not visit my GP until I had irregular periods for a few months. Being young I did not understand the severity of PCOS. I believe, if during that time, I had proper guidance about my condition and how it will have an impact on me throughout my life; I would have taken a different approach to manage my symptoms and lead a healthier lifestyle.

I have been living with PCOS for over 17 years, I realised my own mistakes in time and dos and don’ts about this syndrome. PCOS is different for every woman and it is not necessary to have all its symptoms. However, I want to raise awareness for PCOS, because it is a kind of a silent disease that has a psychological impact on your well-being along with its physical symptoms. In my opinion, the best way to combat PCOS is to understand your own body and access the resources available. There is a lot of information and misinformation available on the internet. Therefore, it is better to move forward with educated and learned approach than getting influenced by shiny objects to manage your symptoms.

Coming from a South Asian descent, I am aware that growing up from a girl to a woman with PCOS is not easy. I accepted my PCOS and its symptoms, but it was the lack of awareness and judgemental attitudes of people from my community that made it harder to deal with it. I want to educate and normalise living with PCOS and its manifesting symptoms like any other disease. Furthermore, I want to approach young girls with suspected PCOS or with recent diagnosis; and lead them towards the right direction."

Mohinee Peer Support Group Manager

 I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome at the age of 16. Though at that time it all seemed confusing, I am now much more grounded due to the support I have received from amazing, fascinating, and strong women. Due to my drastic weight gain, I have suffered from self-esteem and body image issues all throughout my final teenage years. At times, I would even blame PCOS for stealing my most precious years because when I should have been carefree…I was anxious and wanted to hide. As a teenager, I was never comfortable with my body. I often even found it difficult to focus on my studies because of extreme fatigue and brain fog.  

Last year, when I discovered PCOS VITALITY on Instagram, I was amazed by the passion of Ms. Busby. It is her love and her drive to support other women that encouraged me to share my story, ‘’Diary of a PCOS girl’ with her. I remember when I shared the article link with my friends and family, for the first time, I felt heard and seen. My close family members wanted to know more and my friends with PCOS flooded my WhatsApp telling me that for the first time, they felt heard through my story.

This was the beginning of my PCOS awareness journey! Ever since that day, I have tried my best to bring more awareness. As a first step, I created a group chat for my friends with PCOS with promoted emphatic communication. Later I created my Instagram PCOS awareness page, ‘’Spill the tea, cyst!’’ in an attempt to bring more awareness on a national level. I have now realized the importance of Peer Support.

This year’s PCOS awareness month has been exceptional for me because I was part of online events hosted by amazing PCOS awareness organizations and guided by health professionals. My most favorite event was the PCOS: Emotions, Experiences, and Expectations because we finally addressed the mental aspect of PCOS. PCOS is more than just its physical symptoms, there is a whole battle that women with PCOS deal with on a daily basis.

I am now 21 years old. I have a Bachelors of Law (HONS) degree. I pursued Law because I’ve always loved people and I really want to help people.  With this passion and ambition in mind, I want to stand by my cyst-ers and fight this battle with them. We are all in this together!