From Castlebar - County Mayo -

Ken Wright
Report on Arthritis Information Evening Held on 9th Mar 2017
By Ken Wright / Arthritis Ireland Mayo Branch
14, Mar 2017 - 22:55

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Pictured in Breaffy House Hotel Arthritis Ireland Mayo branch launched a petition for FULL Rheumatology Services for Mayo University Hospital, guest speaker was Dr Carmel Silke, Consultant Rheumatologist HSE SAOLTA group. Staff from the National Learning Network Castlebar gave people information on the various courses available, l-r; Peter Dooley, Area Manager NLN, Fiona Park and Edel O’Malley. Photo © Ken Wright Photography 2017.


Over 380 people attended an Arthritis Information Evening in Breaffy House Hotel, Castlebar on Thursday last "Arthritis & You" with Northwest Consultant Rheumatologist Dr. Silke.
The Mayo Branch welcomed Dr. Silke to the service in Castlebar and wished her much success in the outpatient clinic at the Mayo University Hospital.
Dr. Silke gave a very informative talk and held a virtual clinic covering the symptoms, treatment and management of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Gout, Psoriatic Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Fibromyalgia and Polymyalgia.
Dr. Silke highlighted startling facts and figures relating to Arthritis in Ireland and the West of Ireland. Arthritis means inflammation of the joints and there are over 100 different types with 1 in 5 people suffering with the disease in Ireland and affects over 26,000 people throughout Mayo. Arthritis does not discriminate it affects people of all ages from new born babies through to the elderly. Although there is no cure for Arthritis, there is a lot that people can do to empower themselves to reduce the impact of the condition on their lives. She highlighted a number of famous people around the world that have dealt with the challenges of Arthritis every day and what they have achieved despite these challenges.
Teresa Gannon from the Mayo Branch followed on from Dr Silke and highlighted a range of self-management courses, exercise classes and support groups to help people better manage their Arthritis in the Mayo area and urged people to make contact for help and support through the national website www.arthritisireland.ie or Arthritis Ireland Mayo Branch Facebook page https://m.facebook.com/arthritisirelandmayobranch/ for current and upcoming programmes.
The members of the Mayo Branch of Arthritis Ireland then presented Dr. Silke with an engraved photo frame, a bowl of shamrock and a hand knitted arthritis teddy bear to mark the occasion before she left the stage.
The evening followed on with Stacey Grealis from the Mayo Branch highlighting what a limited service there is in Mayo despite campaigning efforts. "There is a lack of development of the service towards a multidisciplinary team approach here in Mayo of a fulltime Rheumatologist, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist and Occupational Therapy service". She stressed that there is no way 11 hours a week at the Consultant outpatient clinic can accommodate the Arthritis community of 26,000 in Mayo.
Every day, Mayo people are travelling to Manorhamilton in Leitrim and Merlin Park, Galway and as far as Dublin for diagnosis and treatment options. Nationally, we have over 12,000+ people waiting for an initial appointment and diagnosis and we have over 2,000+ people across the Northwest waiting in excess of 18 months to be seen. Today, we have a Rheumatology system that is in crisis, cannot cope and is failing each of you by not having an early access of 3-6 months in line with World Health Organization recommendation.
Would people from Dublin travel to Merlin Park Hospital in Galway for treatment because it is the same distance from Dublin to Galway as from Belmullet to Galway. Yet Mayo people pass MUH daily for infusion services that is given for other inflammatory disease conditions in MUH.
The group highlighted big changes need to happen to prevent more young people ending up with long-term disabilities as the average age of diagnosis with Rheumatoid Arthritis is 35 and people are waiting over 18+ months for a diagnosis. A full Rheumatology service is what's needed in Mayo where all Mayo patients can be seen and treated in Mayo equally in a reasonable time frame.
A call was made for affirmative action and joined up thinking by HSE and Government to develop a fair and equal service for the people of Mayo living with a lifelong chronic condition of Arthritis to be treated in Mayo; not the geographical lottery system that is currently in place. The token service of 11 hours outpatient clinic that they have provided the Mayo people with is very unsatisfactory and unequal.
The group went on to launch an online petition at GoPetition which can be accessed at http://gopetition.com/petitions/full-rheumatology-services-for-mayo-university-hospital.html or through the Arthritis Ireland Mayo Branch Facebook Page https://m.facebook.com/arthritisirelandmayobranch/.
They urged people to share the link with family and friends and help get this petition out across the Northwest. There is also a paper format that will be available throughout Mayo at various location. They would like as many people as possible to sign the petition and not to continue to suffer in silence.
Any queries regarding the supports and services for people with arthritis in Mayo or the petition can be sent to arthritismayobranch@gmail.com or on 087-1661279
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Pictured in Breaffy House Hotel Arthritis Ireland Mayo branch launched a petition for FULL Rheumatology Services for Mayo University Hospital, guest speaker was Dr Carmel Silke, Consultant Rheumatologist HSE SAOLTA group. Ray McNamara from Mayo Sports Partnership talking to Anne Marie Healy about sports that are available to people with arthritis. Photo © Ken Wright Photography 2017.


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Pictured in Breaffy House Hotel Arthritis Ireland Mayo branch launched a petition for FULL Rheumatology Services for Mayo University Hospital, guest speaker was Dr Carmel Silke, Consultant Rheumatologist HSE SAOLTA group. Committee members holding a petition for Full Rheumatology Services For Mayo University Hospital l-r; Mary Murphy (walking group leader), Debora Gonoude, (Co - Chairperson), Teresa Gannon, (treasurer) and Stacey Grealis (acting Chairperson). Photo © Ken Wright Photography 2017.


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Pictured in Breaffy House Hotel Arthritis Ireland Mayo branch launched a petition for FULL Rheumatology Services for Mayo University Hospital, guest speaker was Dr Carmel Silke, Consultant Rheumatologist HSE SAOLTA group. Committee members with Dr Carmel Silke, Consultant Rheumatologist HSE SAOLTA group, Front l-r; Debora Gonoude, (Co - Chairperson), Dr Carmel Silke, Anne Marie Healy, (PR), Stacey Grealis (acting Chairperson) and Majella Mulhair (assistant treasurer). Back l-r; Agnes Martin (secretary), Sheila McNicholas, Margaret Devaney, (walking group leader), Bridget Murtagh (fundraising coordinator) Teresa Gannon, (treasurer) and Mary Murphy (walking group leader), Photo © Ken Wright Photography 2017.


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Pictured in Breaffy House Hotel Arthritis Ireland Mayo branch launched a petition for FULL Rheumatology Services for Mayo University Hospital, guest speaker was Dr Carmel Silke, Consultant Rheumatologist HSE SAOLTA group. Staff from Staunton’s Pharmacy Castlebar , who gave people information on the various treatments available , l-r; Laura Staunton, Anna Casimiro, Breege Joyce, Tim Hegarty and Martina O’Malley. Photo © Ken Wright Photography 2017.


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Pictured in Breaffy House Hotel Arthritis Ireland Mayo branch launched a petition for FULL Rheumatology Services for Mayo University Hospital, guest speaker was Dr Carmel Silke, Consultant Rheumatologist HSE SAOLTA group. Teresa Gannon, (treasurer) and Stacey Grealis (acting Chairperson making a presentation on behalf of Mayo Branch Arthritis to Dr Carmel Silke, Consultant Rheumatologist HSE SAOLTA group. Photo © Ken Wright Photography 2017.


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Pictured in Breaffy House Hotel Arthritis Ireland Mayo branch launched a petition for FULL Rheumatology Services for Mayo University Hospital, guest speaker was Dr Carmel Silke, Consultant Rheumatologist HSE SAOLTA group. Teresa Gannon, (treasurer) addressing the large turnout for the talk. Photo © Ken Wright Photography 2017.


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Dr Carmel Silke, Consultant Rheumatologist HSE SAOLTA group pictured addressing the large turnout in Breaffy House Hotel where Arthritis Ireland Mayo branch launched a petition for FULL Rheumatology Services for Mayo University Hospital. Photo © Ken Wright Photography 2017.


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Pictured in Breaffy House Hotel Arthritis Ireland Mayo branch launched a petition for FULL Rheumatology Services for Mayo University Hospital, guest speaker was Dr Carmel Silke, Consultant Rheumatologist HSE SAOLTA group Part of the large number of people who came to the meeting. Photo © Ken Wright Photography 2017.


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Pictured in Breaffy House Hotel Arthritis Ireland Mayo branch launched a petition for FULL Rheumatology Services for Mayo University Hospital, guest speaker was Dr Carmel Silke, Consultant Rheumatologist HSE SAOLTA group. Teresa Gannon, (treasurer) addressing the large turnout for the talk. Photo © Ken Wright Photography 2017.



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