Health Board: Upcoming conferences, talks, campaigns and events

1) Researchers at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin are seeking to interview people about their experiences of presenting to emergency departments in Ireland following an episode of self-harm or suicidal behaviour. The study is funded by the 3Ts charity (Turn the Tide of Suicide) and is looking for adults who have presented to an emergency department for self-harm/suicidal behaviour more than three months ago but within the past five years. Contact Dr Louise Doyle for more information about the study (louise.doyle@tcd.ie, 01-8963102).

2) To coincide with Parkinson's Awareness Week (April 8th-14th), the Parkinson's Association has published a booklet, Parkinson's...Planning Your Journey, which details the symptoms, treatments and how to live well with this neurological condition. Copies available from The Parkinson's Association, Carmichael House, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7, or phone 01-8722234. Awareness-raising events also take place nationwide. For details go to parkinsons.ie/SaveTheDateParkinsonsAwarenessWeek.

3) The dietetics department in Dublin's Blackrock Clinic is presenting a master class in gut health on Wednesday, April 10th, at 7pm. The meeting will be held in the Radisson Blu in Stillorgan and will have three speakers from Blackrock Clinic: Dr Deirdre O'Donovan, consultant gastroenterologist; Lorraine Maher, clinical dietician; and Helen Keeble, senior physiotherapist. Particular focus will be paid to irritable bowel syndrome, diet and gut health, and optimal gut health from a physiotherapist's perspective. Register in advance at 1800 601 060.

4) UCD's second annual sun awareness event, in partnership with Systems Biology Ireland, Charles Institute of Dermatology, Irish Skin Foundation and Irish Cancer Society, will take place on campus for students, staff and members of the public on April 9th and April 10th from 11am-2pm. The event aims to raise awareness of the dangers of occasional and intense sun exposure and sunburn, and will demonstrate how best to protect skin to decrease melanoma risk in advance of Melanoma Awareness Month in May. For more information on the two-day event see irishskin.ie

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5) Artsandhealth.ie has announced the programme for Arts + Health Check Up Check In 2019. Themed "Promoting Autonomy", the event will feature a keynote address by hospice director, arts advocate, music therapist and author Nigel Hartley, and presentations by innovative and creative practitioners working in arts and health in Ireland today. Check Up Check In 2019 takes place on Thursday, April 11th, at Garter Lane Arts Centre, Waterford, and is open to healthcare professionals, arts practitioners and anyone interested in learning more about this exciting field. Check Up Check In 2019 is organised by www.artsandhealth.ie/ Waterford Healing Arts Trust (WHAT) and Create, the national development agency for collaborative arts, with local partners Garter Lane Arts Centre and Waterford City and County Council Arts Office, and is funded by the Arts Council and the HSE. Details and booking from artsandhealth.ie (051) 842 664. Fee for the full day, including lunch, is €30.

6) Northridge House Education and Research Centre, part of St Luke's Home Cork, is hosting its seventh annual conference in the Radisson Blu Hotel on April 11th. The conference theme is "Enhancing Quality of Life in Unrestricted Healthcare Environments", and speakers include Prof Tony O'Brien (Marymount University Hospice), Prof Amanda Phelan (UCD) and Dr Suzanne Timmons (Cork geriatrician). For more see northridgehouse.ie or call Claire 021-4536551.

7) Breast Cancer Ireland's "Battle of the Stars", supported by the Joe Duffy Group, takes place at Dublin's Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, on Saturday, April 13th. Competing will be seven breast cancer survivors. Now in its sixth year, Battle of the Stars has become an annual event where performers dance and lip-sync in front of an audience of 450 people. RTÉ's Eoghan McDermott will MC and a celebrity judging panel will assess the entertainment value Tickets are €150 from breastcancerireland.com

8) The event "Delirium! When Acute Illness Meets Dementia" by the British Neuroscience Association will be held in the Tercentenary Hall, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute in Trinity College Dublin on Tuesday evening, April 16th. Speakers include Dr Shaun O'Keeffe (consultant geriatrician) on "Acute Illness and Acute Confusion (delirium)"; Loretta Hughes on "The Patient Experience of Delirium"; and Dr Colm Cunningham (associate professor of neuroscience) on "Studying Delirium in the lab". The event is free to attend, but booking (at Eventbrite) is essential. For more details contact Dr Carol Murray, murrayc7@tcd.ie or Dr Colm Cunningham, colm.cunningham@tcd.ie

9) The Croke Park stadium tour has added an Easter twist for families from April 18th-22nd. As well as the usual behind-the-scenes access to the players' lounge, dressingrooms, warm-up area, media centre, etc and the GAA Museum, children follow clues around Europe's third-largest stadium to earn an Easter egg. Children €11, Adults €9 (discounts for families). See crokepark.ie/easter

10) Cork charity Ag Éisteacht is running a second Able brief intervention training course in Cork this May for practitioners working in health, social care and community settings. Able (Adopt a relational approach, Build, Listen and Empower) training provides a framework and builds skills to help practitioners to engage with, "listen to understand" and empower patients/clients by embedding a relational approach into their practice. The training is approved for CPD purposes by Social Care Ireland, NMBI, IASW, Irish College of General Practitioners, the faculty of nursing and midwifery at RCSI and the Department of Education. The three-day course takes place on May 14th, 28th and 29th at Northridge House Education Centre, Castle Road, Mahon, Cork. Tickets €250-€300, via Eventbrite or 021-4536556.

11) Around 10,000 people will descend on Cork city on the June Bank Holiday weekend to take part in the annual Irish Examiner Cork City Marathon. Race organisers are encouraging individuals of all fitness levels and running ability to step up this year. Apart from the full marathon (€65) on Saturday, June 2nd, there is also a half-marathon (€42), relay (€97) and youth challenge. Register at corkcitymarathon.ie

12) Saint John of God Hospital's public lecture series runs until Monday, April 15th, in Stillorgan, Co Dublin. Admission to these lectures – which take place in the hospital on Monday evenings from 8pm to 9.30pm – is free. Members of the general public, health professionals and the media are welcome to attend. Pre-registration is not required. For more information see stjohnofgodhospital.ie
Monday, April 8th – Ageing Well in the Modern World: What Psychology Tells Us (Dr Nicola McGlade, senior clinical psychologist, and Dr Beth McEvoy, clinical psychologist).
Monday, April 15th – Let's Talk Health and Wellbeing (Tracey McDonagh, health promotion nurse).

13) Tallaght University Hospital's schedule for its spring/summer series of community health talks "Let's Talk Health" – run in partnership with the Patient Community Advisory Council – consists of talks on a wide range of health issues:
Tuesday, April 2nd: Minding the Skin You Are In. Speaker: Carmel Blake, clinical nurse specialist in dermatology. Location: Lower Assembly Area, Old Bawn Community School at 7.30pm.
Wednesday, April 10th: Arthritis, What Is It and What You Can Do About It. Speaker: Patricia O'Neill, clinical nurse manager, and Stephanie Naramore, candidate advanced nurse practitioner in rheumatology. Location: Durkan Suite – An Cosán at 11am.
Thursday, April 25th: Stroke: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment. Speaker: Prof Rónán Collins, director of stroke services. Location: Kilnamanagh Family Recreation Centre at 11am.
Wednesday. May 15th: Men's Health Looking Under the Bonnet. Speaker: Mr Rob Flynn, consultant urologist. Location: Firhouse Community & Leisure Centre at 6.15pm.

14) The Western Health and Social Care Trust (Western Trust) human milk bank located at the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen is asking more new mums to donate breast milk as stocks are low. "We are encouraging new mothers to help with the increase in demand for breast milk and to ensure we have an adequate supply for neonatal units across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland," says Jacinta Boyle, co-ordinator of the Western Trust milk Bank. If you would like to find out more about the milk bank and becoming a donor, contact the milk bank on (028) 68628333 or email TMB.SWAH@westerntrust.hscni.net

- For inclusion email health@irishtimes.com with “Health Board” in the subject line.