Events
Open Garden event in aid of ME (2-5.30 pm, June 15, 17, 19, 20) - Blackrock, Lifford, Co. Donegal
Belinda Mahaffy, who has a friend with M.E., is opening her garden (part of the Donegal Garden Trail) again this June with donations taken in aid of the Irish ME/CFS Association.
The garden was first established in 1972 by Belinda’s late mother, Mrs Jessie Mahaffy. Belinda has cared for it since Jessie passed away in January 2008.
Details of the garden can be found at:
http://www.donegalgardentrail.com/gardens/14.jpg
There’s a map at:
http://www.donegalgardentrail.com/images/Map_Print.jpg (see garden no. 23b - click to zoom).
Last year’s event raised €880 for the Association - €440 for the research fund and €440 for the general fund which pays for everything else.
Photo: Belinda Mahaffy (left) presents Georgie Reilly with a cheque for €880, the proceeds of the Open Garden event in 2009.
2010 ME Awareness Month Activities
Talks by Dr. William Weir: "25 years of experience with ME: past reflections, present difficulties and future possibilities" (May 29 & 30)
Dr William Weir, a leading UK ME expert*, will be speaking in the following locations:
- Dublin: 1pm, Sat May 29. Mount Herbert Hotel**, Herbert Road, off Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4. Admission: 5 Euro. All welcome.
- Galway (in conjunction with the Galway ME Support Group): 2pm, Sun May 30. Courtyard Hotel, Headford Point, Headford Road (just off the Kirwin Roundabout and near the Galway Shopping Centre). Admission: 5 Euro. All welcome.
* Dr. Weir is a consultant physician/consultant in infectious diseases.
Having previously run an NHS ME clinic, he now sees patiently privately in Harley Street, London and Northern Ireland.
** The Mount Herbert Hotel conference rate is: €69BB (single), or €79BB (double/twin). The hotel is fairly central - a couple of hundred metres from the old Jury's hotel Ballsbridge, around 2 miles/3km from O'Connell Street. We have no financial interest in the hotel.
Information sent to all Public Libraries
The Irish ME/CFS Association has sent posters and leaflets on ME/CFS to all 359 public libraries, to help raise awareness of the illness, and to try to make information on ME/CFS available to the general public.
A copy of the book, "Lost Voices from a Hidden Illness", has also been sent to all 32 local authority central libraries, with a view to having these books made available to anyone accessing their local library (via the interlibrary loans system).
"Lost Voices" was produced by the UK Charity, Invest in ME, to try to raise awareness of severe ME and the impact it has on both the affected individuals and their families. It is primarily written by people affected by severe ME (i.e. house-bound or bed-bound), whether as sufferers, carers or families.
Further information on the book, and how to order it, can be read at:
http://www.investinme.org/LostVoicesBook/IiME%20Lost%20Voices%20home.htm