Health Board: Upcoming conferences, talks, campaigns and events

1) Blackrock Clinic in Dublin will host a "Masterclass in Heart Health" on Monday, November 11th at 7pm in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Stillorgan. Speakers include Dr Paddy Barrett (consultant cardiologist), Dr Mathew Mc Cauley (consultant clinical psychologist) and Aisling Hennessy (senior physiotherapist). The event is free to attend. Register at 1800 601 060 or email enquiry@blackrock-clinic.com.

2) As darkness sweeps around the globe on Wednesday, November 13th, 25,000 people in 50 cities worldwide will put on their running shoes to complete a 5k or 10k Run in the Dark - the principal fundraising event for the Mark Pollock Trust. Run in the Dark will take place in locations across Ireland. For more information go to runinthedark.org/ireland

3) A social singing event called Here's a health to the company: Social singing, health and well-being will take place at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick on Friday, November 15th. The special event is focused on the health and well-being benefits of social singing, from the perspectives of music therapy, community music, voice studies, traditional song, social justice and more. November 15th is World Music Therapy Day. To register see eventbrite.ie

4) Fighting Blindness' Retina 2019 Public Engagement Day takes place during Science Week Ireland on Saturday, November 16th. The event offers people with sight loss an opportunity to quiz leading eye experts about their conditions, and to hear about the latest advances being made to improve and ultimately cure various types of sight loss. The conference will feature research-focussed breakout sessions on more than 20 rare conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and many more. Retina 2019 takes place in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin 8. For information on registration, visit retina.ie

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5) The School of Nursing and Midwifery at NUI Galway will host a Men's Health Symposium on International Men's Day (Tuesday, November 19th, from 8.30am-4pm). The free event is aimed at health professionals and allied professionals who have an interest in men's health and wellbeing. In partnership with the Centre for Nursing and Midwifery Education, Galway and the HSE's Health Promotion Unit, the symposium will specifically examine the influence masculinity has on men's health; building resilience; and promoting positive mental health and wellbeing for men. It will also highlight how men can access services that will support their health and wellbeing along with motivating them to adopt healthier lifestyle behaviours. The symposium will take in the main Lecture Theatre, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Arás Moyola Building, NUI Galway. To register, visit eventbrite.com

6) Friends of Suicide Loss Ireland (FOSL) are holding a "Mourning Has Broken" commemorative walk on Saturday, November 23rd at 1.30pm from the Spire in Dublin's O'Connell Street to Clontarf Castle. The day is International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day (or Survivor Day as it is known) and – along with the walk – special events, entertainment, candlelight dinner and music are planned. Tickets for the FOSL event package is €60, and these can be purchased on the FOSL website, (01) 492 7576 or on Eventbrite.

7) Beaumont Hospital presents Breast Reconstruction: your options on Wednesday, November 27th in the Smurfit building in the Dublin hospital. The aim is to provide an informal forum for breast cancer survivors to learn about the benefits and different options available to them with regards to breast reconstruction. Talks will be given by plastic and breast surgeons, as well as Anne Staunton the breast care CNS and some previous patients who have undergone the procedures. The event is free. Register at eventbrite.ie

8) The All Ireland Paediatric Diabetes Health Professional Conference 2019 takes place at Carlton Hotel, Dublin Airport from November 28th-29th. For more details, contact info@diabetes.ie, (01) 842 8118.

9) From this month, third-level institutions can order free condom dispensers from the HSE, which will enable the provision of free condoms and sexual health information to students on campuses nationwide. Information leaflets will be made available with the condom dispensers, which will direct students to HSE-led and HSE-funded websites for further information about sexual health and wellbeing – sexualwellbeing.ie and man2man.ie.

10) The eighth annual Newstalk Christmas Lunch in aid of the Marie Keating Foundation will take place on Thursday, December 5th in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin. Offering a champagne reception and a four-course lunch, the proceeds raised from this annual Christmas tradition help fund cancer awareness and support services. For tickets, see mariekeating.ie/events

11) St Patrick's Mental Health Services' annual Founder's Day conference on Friday, December 6th - at St Patrick's University Hospital, Dublin 8 will focus on the theme of anxiety. The plenary lecture comes from Prof David Clark of Oxford University, who will be discussing effective psychological treatments for anxiety and the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Programme. Prof Mark Freeston of Newcastle University will present on the role of intolerance of uncertainty in understanding, formulating and treating anxiety in anxiety disorders and beyond, while Prof Helen Kennerley of the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre will explore anxiety and dissociation. For more information and to book a place, visit stpatricks.ie/media-centre/events

12) Researchers from the School of Psychology at NUI Galway are currently recruiting participants from ages 16-35 in the Galway area to participate in a new psychology therapy study being trialed for individuals who are in the first five years of a diagnosis of psychosis. Early psychosis, which refers to a range of mental health difficulties often associated with experiences of hallucinations or delusions, can result in significant difficulties with social and occupational functioning. The CReST-R study (Cognitive Remediation and Social Recovery in Early Psychosis Study) focuses on helping to improve everyday functioning in young people living with psychosis. The study will involve weekly one-to-one therapy sessions over the course of 10 weeks, with an assessment before and after completion of therapy. This trial is part of a Health Research Board funded programme entitled YOULEAD (Youth Mental Health Research Leadership) as part of a collaboration between mental health researchers at NUI Galway, UCD and RCSI, and health service providers, including the HSE and Jigsaw. To participate in the study and for more information contact Emma Frawley, crestr@nuigalway.ie, 086 8527199. For more information about YOULEAD, see nuigalway.ie/youlead

– For inclusion in these listings, email health@irishtimes.com with Health Board in the subject line