Caoilfhionn Collins

“My belief is that women deserve so much more at this stage of their lives.”

I qualified as a pharmacist in 1991 after specialising in sports and nutrition in my final year of study. My interest in the world of pharmaceutical nutrition can, in no small part, be attributed to growing up on a dairy farm in North Tipperary. Food and all its benefits, its ‘cared for' source, and our gratitude for it, were all part of the dinner table narrative.  My mum Tras was a lifestyle coach long before it became trendy; she understood the importance of creating conversations around nutrition and lifestyle after a breast cancer diagnosis in her early 40’s. It was around that same dinner table that I gave my first talk about the menopause, and 28 years on, my role in educating and helping women during this important time in their lives has become my passion.

Our own personal experiences can influence how we educate ourselves, understand and care for our bodies as we move through life. At 42, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Post treatment, I took the opportunity to reassess my own approach to my body, health and lifestyle with the help of my partner John, who is both a pharmacist and a nutrition and health coach. This life changing experience alongside my continuing education in nutrition and lifestyle ignited my passion in women’s health, peri-menopause and the menopause. 

By a remarkable coincidence, in June I got an audition (yes, I’m an actor too!) to appear in an advertisement for a new product called Meno Active, made by the Galway-based company Revive Active. I was thrilled as Revive Active’s products have been part of my recommendation list for the last 10 years. While filming the advertisement, I met the fantastic Revive Active marketing team and when the team learnt I was a pharmacist specialising in the menopause, we bonded instantly over our mutual passion for women’s health.

I was ecstatic when I read Meno Active’s comprehensive ingredient list, because normally I would have to source these ingredients from a variety of different suppliers. Instead, the Irish made Meno Active formula provides one capsule with three plant extracts and one powdered sachet containing 27 active ingredients in every daily dose.

I love to work with customers individually as not all experiences are the same. My aim is to provide a programme which incorporates dietary nutrition with suitable supplementation if appropriate alongside important lifestyle changes that support women during this important stage in their lives.