Cheese rolling to honour woman with premenstrual dysphoric disorder

A world-famous cheese rolling event will be dedicated to a woman who had hoped to take part before her death at the age of 22.

Organisers of the ladies' race at Coopers Hill in Gloucestershire hope to raise awareness of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), which Paige McCormack suffered from.

Her family said they felt "brushed aside" when trying to get help.

The 22-year-old, from Brockworth, died in October 2022.

Ms McCormack had hopes of competing in the cheese rolling, which draws huge crowds to the steep hill, one day.

Her mum Fiona said it was "a long battle" to get Ms McCormack, who took her own life in October 2022, the help she needed for PMDD - a severe form of premenstrual syndrome.

"When we suggested that her symptoms might be linked to her monthly cycle, we were told it was pretty much impossible," she said.

Ms McCormack experienced extreme mood swings, ranging from aggression to depression, her family said.

Her dad Tom said: "Sometimes she would start punching people, me and her mother, her little brother at times.

"She was not attacking us, but she did not know what to do with herself."

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He said it was a "really dark time".

Claudine Domoney, a doctor at Chelsea and Westminster hospital's PMDD clinic, said PMDD often gets misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder.

"PMDD is the equivalent to severe PMS, but because PMS is often downgraded as being a 'normal event' in women's lives, I think PMDD gives it the status that reflects the severity of it," she said.

She added that PMDD impacts women's ability to work and to hold down relationships.

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust said: "We would like to express our sympathies to Paige's family and everyone who knew her for their loss.

"We would welcome a conversation with Paige's family to ensure we are aware of any element of her care which could have been improved."

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