Artists Imogen Stuart, Patrick Pye and Carmel Mooney were among those who donated their work to a campaign to help fight cystic fibrosis. The fund-raising project was launched by the Tánaiste, Mary Harney, in Dublin's RHA Gallery this week.
The works of art, which also include contributions from Pauline Bewick and Elizabeth Cope, will be used in a series of greeting cards, and the proceeds will fund research and develop an art-in-health initiative in Waterford.
Anne Kieran, from Ardee in Co Louth, recalled her daughter Linda Kieran (29) and her son David Kieran (27), who both died in recent years due to cystic fibrosis. She said "it's very important to continue with the research".
Mary Prendiville, from Dalkey, spoke of the death of her daughter, Laura (21) last February. She was a final year student at UCD doing history and politics.
Suzanne Martin, chairwoman of the Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust, said that every year in this country up to 35 children are born with the hereditary disease. Thanks to research, the average life expectancy is 31 years, she said. In the 1960s, it was just five years.
The Waterford Healing Arts Trust, which was set up 13 years ago, is the result of the efforts of Dr Abdul Bulbulia to introduce art to Waterford regional hospital. The hospital was "like a railway station" when it opened first, he said. The first piece of art to be purchased by the trust, which aims to explore and promote the role of art in healing, was by sculptor Remco de Fouw.
Dr Bulbulia's wife, Katharine Bulbulia, was at the launch along with Mary Baxter, chairwoman of the Waterford Healing Arts Trust, and Mary Grehan, the trust's arts co-ordinator and Patricia Sullivan, general manager of Waterford Regional Hospital. Others present included Prof Muiris FitzGerald, Dean of UCD's Medical Faculty, and his wife, Patricia McCarthy, Billy McGrath, vice chairman of the Waterford Healing Trust and poet Mark Roper, who is writer-in-residence at Waterford Regional Hospital.
The fund-raising initiative is a joint effort by two charities - the Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust and the Waterford Healing Arts Trust.
For more information contact Susie Wingfield at 058-54952, Mary Baxter at 051-874 070 and the Waterford Healing Arts Trust at 051-842664.