SPINA BIFIDA SUPPORT: Ireland's leading body for information, support and advice on spina bifida and hydrocephalus, the Irish Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (IASBH), launched its five-year plan, Embracing the Future, last week.
The association aims to raise awareness of these conditions, the incidence of which is the second highest in the world here. The association also provides support and resources to families when a child is born with either condition. See also www.iasbah.ie
PSYCHOTHERAPY CONFERENCE: Unexpected Gains: Psychotherapy for People with Learning Disabilities was the theme of a paper by Nancy Sheppard, clinical psychotherapist at London's Tavistock Clinic at a conference in London last Saturday. The conference also highlighted the work of Respond, a charity specialising in psychotherapy for people with learning disabilities who are victims and/or perpetrators of abuse. See www.i-pd.org and www.respond.org.uk
NUTRITION WORKSHOP: Nutritionist Patrick Holford will lead a two-day workshop aimed at improving people's mental and physical energy through better nutrition. Holford's theories have become mainstream, but his views on the necessity of taking daily food supplements remains controversial. Find out more on June 25th and 26th in the Cultivate Centre, Temple Bar, Dublin. Cost €299. Booking on tel: 01 6745773.
NEW MALARIA WEAPON: A common fungus could be the new leader in the fight against malaria. A UK team found that it can prove fatal to 90 per cent of mosquitoes which come into contact with the fungus within 14 days of it being sprayed onto surfaces. However, other experts cautioned there would be difficulties in ensuring the fungus was widely used.