Health Board: Upcoming conferences, talks, campaigns and events

Easter egg hunt in Croke Park, Cycle Against Suicide and the Cork City Marathon

1) The event "Delirium! When Acute Illness Meets Dementia" by the British Neuroscience Association will be held at 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.

2) Elevate Foundation, the Soar Foundation and Clare Youth Services will run a free youth well-being festival in Co Clare this month. YouthFest 2019 will have lots of different activities, including tips and tools to help young people manage their mental health and well-being, as well as music, food and guest speakers who will share stories of how they overcame challenges in their lives and made their dreams a reality. It will take place on Tuesday, April 16th, in Hotel Doolin (for 13-15 year olds), Wednesday, April 17th in the Armada Hotel, Spanish Point (for 13-15 year olds), and on Thursday, April 25th in Glór, Ennis (for 16-18 year olds). Each day will run from 10am-2pm, with some light breakfast snacks and lunch provided for all in attendance. This free festival is open to Clare Youth Services members only. Contact your local youth club in Clare to sign up.

3) 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, dressing rooms, warm-up area, media centre 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.

4) The Fureys are relaunching their song 'Our Games' on Friday, April 26th. Proceeds from downloads will go to CMRF Crumlin, which raises funds for Crumlin Children's Hospital and the National Children's Research Centre. Former RTÉ sports presenter, the late Brendan O'Reilly, wrote the song back in 1991 and asked the Fureys if they would record it. They sang it in Croke Park at half-time during that year's All Ireland football final between Down and Meath.

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5) Registrations are now open for Cycle Against Suicide's annual cycle, which takes place from April 27th to May 6th (going from Westmanstown, Dublin-Tullamore-Nenagh-Limerick-Listowel-Killarney-Mallow-Cashel-Kilkenny-Kildare-Dublin). Cycle Against Suicide is an initiative to raise awareness of the help and support networks that are available to people across Ireland that are battling depression, self-harm, at risk of suicide or those bereaved by suicide. To register your support or for more information on the Cycle Against Suicide #itsOKNotToFeelOK Challenge, visit cycleagainstsuicide.com.

6) 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, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, the Irish Association of Social Workers, the Irish College of General Practitioners, the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland 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 021-453 6556.

7) The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance in Limerick is hosting "Music Therapy and Pain Medicine: Special Event with Dr Joanne Loewy" at the Tower Theatre, University of Limerick, on Wednesday, May 15th. Dr Loewy researches pain, sedation, assessment, asthma and NICU music therapy. The event will run from 10am to 5pm and tickets are €50 (€10 student/unwaged/Chronic Pain Ireland member). Register at eventbrite.ie.

8) About 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

9) 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:
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.

10) 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 028-686 28333 or email TMB.SWAH@westerntrust.hscni.net

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

Damian Cullen

Damian Cullen

Damian Cullen is Health & Family Editor of The Irish Times