Ava Battles,Director of services, Brainwave, the Irish Epilepsy Association.
Personal/family:Due to be married to Sean Brosnan next year.
What figure from the world of medicine or health do you most admire?
Dr Norman Delanty, consultant neurologist and epileptologist in Beaumont Hospital for his hard work and dedication to people with epilepsy in Ireland.
What other career might you have chosen?
Clinical psychologist.
If you could grant three wishes for the health service, what would they be?
I would ensure that the 2003 neurology services report by Comhairle na nOspidéal was implemented. I would introduce primary care teams so that people with chronic conditions can be cared for in their local areas. Finally, I would develop a network of community specialist nurses nationwide.
What is your greatest fear?
Black ice on the roads.
Have you ever been a patient and were you a good one?
Thankfully I have never had to spend time in hospital.
When or where are you happiest?
Working in the market with my parents in Limerick on a Saturday and spending time and having a laugh with friends and family.
How do you cope with stress?
I cope with stress in different ways. I make an effort to have fun and laughs with friends, I practise deep breathing and try to get outside to exercise. At the same time I try to keep a sense of perspective on things and keep organised.
What is the trait you most admire in yourself?
I am trustworthy.
What is the trait you most dislike in yourself?
I am a very organised person but sometimes I could do without making lists out of lists.
Do you use alternative or complementary medicine or therapies?
Yes, I do in conjunction with traditional medical advice.
Who or what makes you laugh?
I laugh a lot - it doesn't take much to put a smile on my face.
What is your motto?
A quote from John Wesley - Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.
What is your favourite TV or radio programme?
On radio, it's 2FM's Rick O'Shea, who became patron of Brainwave last year; on TV, it's 24.
What books would you bring to a desert island?
I would bring something that would challenge my thinking and something very light. I'm going to be first in line for the next Harry Potter book.
In conversation with Fiona Tyrrell