Addison's Ireland is the Irish branch of the Addison’s Disease Self-Help Group (ADSHG) with approximately 104 members from around the country both north and south. It organises regular meetings in Dublin and around the country and works to raise awareness of Addison's in Ireland.

Joining Addison's Ireland 

Membership of Addison's Ireland is open to anyone in Northern or Southern Ireland with Addison's or other forms of adrenal insufficiency that result in steroid dependence. Family members, friends or anyone with an interest in adrenal medicine are also welcome! You can join as an e-member receiving your material electronically through the website or as a postal member.

Please join the ADSHG in the usual way and those based in the Northern or Southern Ireland, will automatically become a member of Addison's Ireland too. You can join at any time of year and will receive contact details for the Addison's Ireland Co-ordinator Rachel Bracken when you join the ADSHG. We look forward to welcoming you!

Prof. Sherlock of Beaumont speaking at the Ireland AGM 2019 discussing adrenal insufficiency research in Ireland and the work the Beaumont endocrine foundation.

Events and meetings in Ireland

Meetings for Addison's Ireland members are held each year, usually in autumn. Meetings are announced in the ADSHG members' magazine, on our website and in the online forum. Some ADSHG members from Northern Ireland have attended meetings in the past and are always most welcome!

Meetings range from causal socials to our formal AGM. At the AGM we are joined by adrenal specialists for "ask the endo" sessions, emergency hydrocortisone injection practise and talks on key issues affecting those with Addison's and adrenal insufficiency in Ireland. There is more information about our events on our website.

Shane Nicholl memorial event at St Peter's GAA, Warrenpoint, Co. Down.

ADSHG members with Eugene (Club Chairman), Mark Nicholl (Shane's dad) and Marty Clarke (Gaelic footballer) with the newly designed football jersey and cake.

Addison's Ireland Forum

The Addison's Ireland online forum is a confidential member-only forum which allows members to communicate with each other, share information and experiences, and get answers to questions relating to Addison’s disease. 

To access the online forum, you must be a member of the ADSHG. All current members of Addison's Ireland can access the online forum which as a specific forum topic area dedicated to Addison's Ireland, for discussion of any specific issues regarding the Irish health system.

Visit the Addison's Ireland Forum

Addison's Ireland publications

The publication 'Caring for the Irish patient with Addison's: information for GPs', has been developed with information about the healthcare system specific for people with Addison's in Ireland.

All the other publications from the ADSHG are also available to Addison's Ireland members and they are available for free download in the publications centre. Print copies of these publications (except those indicated) are sent as part of the postal member's joining pack. 

Addison's Ireland Research

There are many exciting things in the pipeline! We have deployed the Shane Nicholl fund to Professor Mark Sherlock of Beaumont Hospital, for his research in developing an adrenal database on the island of Ireland. Shane Nicholl was a 10-year old boy from Warrenpoint Co. Down who died tragically in 2016 from undiagnosed Adrenal Crisis.

We would love to see Adrenal Insufficiency being listed on the long-term illness scheme to have medications paid for. The ADSHG have previously raised parliamentary question to this effect but didn't have the hard data on the number of people affected. This research and the adrenal database made possible by the Shane Nicholl fund will help us with this and many other future initiatives. Whilst the immediate impact of COVID-19 has delayed efforts into this research due to the team being redeployed to respond to the pandemic, critical progress has been made. The charity remains committed to investing into Addison's disease and endocrine research. We will continue to provide updates in our regular magazine and emails. To find out more about ADSHG's other research work and grants awarded, please visit our research page.

HSE Living Well Programme

Living Well is a free group self-management programme. As living with a long-term health condition can be challenging, the Living Well programme supports you to develop the skills which will help you to live well with a long-term health condition(s). The Living Well programme has proven to be effective in helping people to manage their health conditions better.

Visit the HSE Living Well website to find out more.

We are absolutely brimming with ideas to improve the lives of those with Addison's all over Ireland, but we need your help. Please get in touch if you are interested in volunteering or donate to support our vital work.