Lifelines

Funding stream: A team of kayakers is making its way down the River Shannon this week in aid of a fund-raising campaign to build…

Funding stream: A team of kayakers is making its way down the River Shannon this week in aid of a fund-raising campaign to build and staff a new resource and call-in centre for the Spinal Injuries Action Association, which says one Irish person sustains a spinal- cord injury each week.

Call 01-2355317, e-mail info@siairl.org or visit www.siairl.org

Managing diabetes

Poor control of their blood-sugar levels is putting more than half of Ireland's type 2 diabetes patients at risk of complications, according to a new survey. "The findings highlight the need for tighter glucose control," says Prof John Nolan, an endocrinologist at St James's Hospital in Dublin. He also stresses early use of insulin, attention to diet and lifestyle, and close monitoring of blood pressure.

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Treating trauma

Fewer than one in five trauma victims will be harmed by the experience, according to a lecturer in counselling at the University of Ulster. Dr Selwyn Black has developed a framework for measuring the intensity of trauma, to help health professionals deal with traumatised patients.

Compiled by Sylvia Thompson