A round-up of today's other stories.
DVD SUPPORT: A support group for people bereaved by suicide is distributing a DVD on how to cope with feelings of depression to senior cycle classes at secondary schools and third-level institutions.
The programme, A Life 2 Live 4, is aimed at providing general advice on coping skills for young people at times of crisis and awareness of support services.
It was commissioned by Console, which provides counselling and support to people bereaved by suicide.
The main message of the DVD is that there is help available and to offer hope to people who feel depressed or suicidal, or who are grieving the loss of a loved one through suicide.
The DVD is available from Console. For further information, contact 01-4574300 or www.console.ie.
TOURETTE MEETING: The Irish Tourette Syndrome Association is holding an open meeting in the Alexander Hotel, Merrion Square, Dublin on Sunday, October 9th at 2.30pm.
Prof Mary Robertson, Emeritus professor of Neuropsychiatry at University College London, one of the world's leading experts on Tourette syndrome and author of many books and papers on the subject, will be the guest speaker.
Tourette syndrome is a neurological involuntary movement disorder, characterised by motor and vocal tics. It begins in childhood or early adolescence and occurs six times more often in boys than in girls.
INFORMATION DAY: To coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month,the National Breast Cancer Research Institute (NBCRI) in association with University College Hospital Galway is holding an information day for women on breast cancer at the Ardilaun House Hotel, Galway, on October 2nd.
The event will cover such topics as breast cancer surgery, radiology, therapy for breast cancer, breast cancer reconstruction, sexuality and coping with breast cancer, and talks from breast cancer survivors.
A panel of experts comprising members of the cancer services team at UCHG will be present and available for a question and answer session.For further information visit www.nbcri.ie or call NBCRI on tel: 091 524390
ATAXIA AWARENESS: International awareness day for ataxia, a progressive form of disability which starts with occasional loss of balance and culminates in complete loss of mobility took place on Sunday.
"Many ataxias are genetic in origin and we hope that a closer study of genetic aspects of the condition will lead to a better understanding and treatment of this group of conditions," said Dr Mary Kearney, secretary of euro-Ataxia. There are about 200 sufferers of ataxia of which Friedreich's ataxia is the most common in Ireland. See www.euro-ataxia.org
RAYNAUD'S INFORMATION: The Irish Raynaud's & Scleroderma Society will host an information meeting from 3pm-5pm next Monday in the Waterford Castle Hotel. A member of the society and a medical expert will speak about these debilitating conditions whose initial symptoms include extreme coldness to the feet and hands.
An estimated 10 per cent of the population suffer from Raynaud's, a small percentage of whom go on to develop scleroderma. Tel: 01 2020184 and see www.irishraynauds.com
AGE POSITIVELY: Positive Ageing Week runs from Friday next, September 30th, to October 8th and a number of events will be taking place.
Positive Ageing Week looks beyond people's health to the miracle of ageing, to the entitlement of older people to enjoy all activities as well as the right to be treated equally by the health services, according to the organisers.
Events include a national seminar on Making Poverty History for Older People on Wednesday, October 5th, from 11.30am to 12.45pm in the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin Castle. There will also be tours of Leinster House on Tuesday, October 4th and 5th at 2pm and 4pm.
PATEIENT FOCUS: In the feature, Patient Focus Critical to Reform in last week's HealthSupplement , it was incorrectly stated that the Murphy family accepted €1 damages following their High Court case last year on the death of their son, Kevin in 1999. In fact, a settlement was approved in which awards of €60,000 were donated to two charities, Bóthar and the Make a Wish Foundation.
During the High Court proceedings, two GPs, one private consultant, one hospital consultant and a hospital, all admitted liability and the court ruled the settlement.
Margaret Murphy, Kevin's mother, will speak about the series of medical errors which led to Kevin's death at the 10th annual conference of the Irish Society for Quality and Safety in Healthcare on September 29th in Croke Park, Dublin. See www.isqsh.ie