The Asthma Society of Ireland has introduced a new telephone service called Asthma Line, in an effort to help sufferers lead normal lives. A different message will be carried each week and some of the topics covered include asthma prevalence, symptoms of asthma, preventer and reliever inhalers and how sufferers may aim for a full and active life.
The number is 1850 445464 and calls are charged at the local rate. Specially trained nurses will be available at a separate telephone number between 2 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. each Thursday to discuss queries about asthma, and this number will be given at the end of each message.
The New Day Counselling Centre was set up in 1995 to provide free or low-cost professional counselling in the Dublin south inner-city - an area of high unemployment, low participation rates in education and serious drug and alcohol abuse problems. The centre provides counselling in relation to a variety of problems, including relationship difficulties, sexual abuse and depression, and has been availed of by over 600 people to-date. At present the Christian Brothers provide 75 per cent of the running costs each year and the remainder has to be raised through grants and donations from the private sector.
Brother David Gibson hopes to raise much-needed funds during a sponsored 500-mile walk from Pamplona to Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain during the next few weeks. Donations may be sent to: New Day Counselling Centre, 11 Meath Street, Dublin 8. Tel 01-454 7050.
Parent Support, the support organisation for parents with lesbian, gay and bisexual children, is holding an open meeting on Friday in OutHouse, 16 South William Street, Dublin 2 at 8.30 p.m. Parent Support was set up in the early 1980s to help parents to come to an understanding and acceptance of their child's sexuality. With the support of the Eastern Health Board the group has published a booklet, If Your Child is Lesbian or Gay, which contains frequently asked questions, personal contributions from children and parents, and references to other sources of information. Further information from: the OutHouse Community Centre, tel 01-670 6377 during office hours or the Dublin Gay Switchboard, tel 01-872 1055 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Friday and 3.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays.