Tinsley honoured for leading cystic fibrosis campaign

YOUTH WORK Ireland has honoured Orla Tinsley for leading an ongoing campaign for better facilities for people such as herself with cystic fibrosis.

The organisation, which represents 22 local voluntary youth services, praised Ms Tinsley contribution and that made by other young people to public life.

Ms Tinsely received a special award for Youth Advocacy from the Minister of State for Children and Youth Affairs Barry Andrews at the Volunteer Achievement Awards in Dublin on Saturday night.

Three years ago, when Ms Tinsley was 18, she began a campaign in this newspaper for better cystic fibrosis services. Around 1,200 people in Ireland live with the disease.

Diarmuid Kearney, chief executive of Youth Work Ireland, said that "as a Youth Work organisation, one of the most important thing we can teach young people is how to stand up for themselves and advocate for their needs.

"The campaign by Orla Tinsley and other young people on the issue of cystic fibrosis facilities illustrates how this is possible and how young people taking the lead can influence change in society."