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Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Irish rowing champion Aoife Willis: 'The possibility of being diabetic never came into my head'
Irish rowing champion Aoife Willis was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 20 after returning home from a summer in the States. Aware that something was not right during her travels but carrying on anyway, her health deteriorated once she came back home, and she was hospitalised. 'The possibility of being diabetic never came into my head before my diagnosis. Some of the symptoms, like excessive thirst, were there, but my diagnosis was unexpected,' says the 31-year-old Limerick native. Type 1 diabetes is a chronic, autoimmune condition. It affects the insulin-making cells of the pancreas by attacking and destroying the cells that produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes, in contrast, is characterised by insulin resistance, so the body's cells don't respond properly to insulin, and the pancreas may not produce enough insulin to compensate. While there is no national registry for diabetes in Ireland, Diabetes Ireland estimates that 300,000 people are living with diabetes. Around 270,000 live with type 2, and 30,000 live with type 1. Willis says the first hurdle she had to overcome was learning how to live with the disease while also navigating the stigma and bias associated with it. Recent research by healthcare company Abbott highlights the difficulties of living with a condition that is often stigmatised. From a survey it conducted of more than 2,600 people with diabetes across eight countries, it was found that 80% of people living with the condition in Ireland believe there is stigma associated with their condition, while 67% said they have seen diabetes inaccurately portrayed in the media. To help challenge the stigma, Abbot has released a short creative film titled The Emotional Toll of Diabetes, depicting the comments and assumptions made about people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Christina Hamilton, Diabetes Ireland education and support coordinator, gives examples of some of the passive comments made about diabetes, such as 'Are you sure you should eat that cake?' and 'I heard it's preventable', which have an impact on people living with it. 'The language that people use has a major effect on those living with diabetes and their emotional and mental wellbeing,' she says. Aoife Willis: "I've had moments where I've had to say to people, 'look, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't make jokes about diabetes in front of me,' which is always hard." Picture: Brendan Gleeson. On the topic of making diabetes the butt of the joke, Willis shares how she handles unwelcome comments: 'I've had moments where I've had to say to people, 'look, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't make jokes about diabetes in front of me,' which is always hard,' she says. Hamilton encourages others living with diabetes to speak up. 'It is difficult for people living with diabetes to address comments. But I urge anyone with diabetes if they're feeling embarrassed or upset by a comment to say 'actually, that's not true', or 'I don't think that was a well-informed comment that you made, and let me tell you why,' by doing that, together we can change things.' Willis recalls a particularly challenging experience around the time of her diagnosis. 'I remember going to an appointment early in my diagnosis, and the nurse asked me if I played sports. I explained that I row and run, and her response was: 'Oh, well, it'll be a while until you get back to that again.' And in that moment, I felt so isolated, especially hearing this from a healthcare professional.' To address the need for change in public perception, Diabetes Ireland has created the country's first 'Language Matters' guide based on the Australian model. Working with people with lived experience of diabetes, academics and healthcare professionals, the guide aims to improve communication with and about those living with diabetes. 'We want to see a reduction in stigma or burden for people living with diabetes,' Hamilton says. 'There is work ongoing on a document for healthcare professionals in dealing with people living with diabetes. We work with the media a lot too, so they are aware of how to talk about people living with diabetes. For example, instead of referring to people as diabetic, we say they live with the condition, they are not the condition.' Proving that she lives with the condition and is not defined by it, Willis continues to train with the help of the Freestyle Libre continuous glucose monitoring system, for which she serves as an ambassador. 'Ten months after that conversation I had with my nurse about needing to put my training on hold, I won an Irish rowing championship,' she says with a smile, adding that the achievement felt like a strong rebuttal to the stigma people with diabetes sometimes face. Willis has connected with other people living with diabetes on social media. 'I've found a lot of community through social media, and there are some great Instagram accounts of people living with diabetes who are role models to me. They'll show themselves living their lives without allowing diabetes to hold them back, and that's empowering to see. 'It reminds me that if they can do it, so can anyone - we're more than just our condition.' See: Read More A period of life we need to talk about — the stigma that still surrounds menstruation
Irish Examiner
21-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Irish Blood Transfusion Service urges public to donate as blood supplies reach critical low
Blood donors have been asked to take a break from the sunshine and attend clinics, with 2,000 extra donations urgently needed as some blood type supplies are down to just three days. The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) appealed on Wednesday for people to come forward in large numbers over the next four weeks. Clinics in Cork and Dublin are now offering donors mixed-reality experiences to make donation more fun. Only 3% of eligible people donate, but demand is so high it is estimated that one in four people will need a transfusion during their lives. Hospitals have been asked to use existing stocks of blood to help the IBTS share limited supply across health services. Director of donor services and logistics Paul McKinney said the IBTS aim to always have seven days' worth of blood in storage. 'However, current stock levels including those for O negative and B negative are causing concern at just three days' supply, and O positive which relates to nearly half the total population is at just over 2.5 days,' he warned. The IBTS issued a stock management alert to hospitals last week. 'If the IBTS must issue an 'amber alert letter' which is the next escalation level of the blood shortage plan, it would have an immediate implication for hospitals and for elective surgical procedures requiring blood support,' he said. Blood donors trying out new mixed reality experiences at IBTS clinics. The pilot initiative will run between May and June in a number of IBTS donation centres in Dublin and Cork. Picture: Abbot He explained that demand from hospitals has been high since the Easter and May bank holidays. 'The continued good weather has also impacted clinic attendances,' he said, adding: 'the start of the summer holiday travel period has also had an impact on donor availability'. The service is now seeking to boost collections by 500 donations per week. 'We are asking regular donors to make an extra effort to attend their nearest clinic especially in Dublin and Cork where we have clinic availability every week,' he said. He also called on holidaymakers to consider donating before heading away for the summer. 'New donors are especially welcome,' he said. 'We would particularly encourage new donors of African heritage to join the National blood donor panel to help us diversify the donor base and get better blood type matches for patients.' Clinics in Cork and Dublin began offering mixed reality experiences this week in partnership with healthcare company Abbott. Mr McKinney welcomed the novel approach. 'This innovative technology introduces a gaming-like experience which evidence and feedback suggests makes blood, platelet and plasma donation less intimidating and more fun for the donor,' he said. 'We also hope it will encourage many people, of all ages, who want to donate but have been nervous about doing so in the past." The project runs throughout June. Donors are given lightweight headsets with a translucent visor to wear while donating blood. Playing Intergalactica sees donors build a team of robots to explore planets, solve puzzles, and defeat enemies. While playing Zen Garden, donors listen to soothing music while planting seeds. More information at: or phone 1800 731 137. Read More New breast cancer treatment that avoids chemotherapy saves woman almost €43k in lost income avoided
RTÉ News
19-05-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
Mixed reality headsets to help drive blood donations
A new pilot scheme has been launched that will see blood donors being offered mixed reality headsets while they donate. Users will be able to play relaxing, immersive games designed to distract them and reduce anxiety. It is also hoped the scheme will encourage more young people to consider blood donation. The experience is called mixed reality rather than virtual reality because the user can still see their surroundings while they play. The lightweight headsets have a translucent visor, so the eyes of donors are always visible to clinical staff, ensuring constant monitoring. The games are controlled through head-tracking technology, so users do not need to move their arms. There are two games to choose from; a zen garden that allows users to plant seeds while listening to relaxing music, and 'Intergalactica' in which donors build a team of robots to explore planets and solve puzzles. Health technology company Abbot is behind the project which has already been rolled out in a number of countries. A study with two blood centres in the US found that the use of mixed reality decreased anxiety in 68% of donors and 89% of donors reported they were very or extremely likely to donate again. "These headsets balance complex computing with a simple insight – many people fear donating blood and mixed reality technology makes it easier to donate blood by giving the donors something else to focus on," said Abbot's Transfusion Medicine Global Marketing Director Joana Araujo. "We hope that the improved experience leads to more people wanting to donate blood in Ireland," Ms Araujo said. Conor Cody has been a regular donor for three years and tried the new technology at a blood donation clinic in Dublin. "It was very relaxing and I was completely engrossed in the game, I really enjoyed it," Mr Cody said. "If you have any slight fear of what's going on, it takes your mind off it completely." "I'm used to it now so it doesn't bother me, but the time just flew, and I really enjoyed the game," he added. The pilot initiative will run between May and June in a number of Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) donation centres in Dublin and Cork. The IBTS will then gather feedback from donors before deciding if it will adopt the scheme on a more long-term basis. "This innovative technology introduces a gaming-like experience which evidence and feedback suggests makes blood, platelet and plasma donation less intimidating and more fun for the donor," said ICTS Director of Donor Services and Logistics Paul McKinney. "We also hope it will encourage many people, of all ages, who want to donate but have been nervous about doing so in the past." "Blood supplies are very low right now, the summer demand has been huge and hospitals have been very busy," Mr McKinney said. "The good weather is not working in our favour and our attendances are not as high as we would like," he added. The IBTS is calling for donors from all ethnic backgrounds to help meet patient demand.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The New Pope Is American. He's One (Implausible) Choice From Proving Some Early-American Alarmists Correct.
Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. On July 30, 1788, during debate in the North Carolina ratifying convention over whether the state would sign on to the proposed federal Constitution, pro-Constitution delegate James Iredell rose to confront what he considered a risible objection to the document brought by some of his colleagues. Iredell's fellow delegate, one Henry Abbot, had observed that Article VI's proscription of religious tests for office made some people uncomfortable: 'They suppose that if there be no religious test required, pagans, deists, and Mahometans might obtain offices among us, and that the senators and representatives might all be pagans.' When Iredell rose to put Abbot's mind at ease, he referred to a pamphlet he said he had just come across that, to his mind, expressed such concerns in their fullest, truest, and most absurd version, a straw man he could easily, gleefully set on fire. The pamphlet worried not just about 'pagans, deists, and Mahometans,' but also that without religious tests for office the pope in Rome himself could be elected president of the United States. Iredell, a bit of a card, leaned into the absurdity of this worry, born of that era's run-of-the-mill Protestant anti-popery, some opportunistic fearmongering, and, well, plain stupidity. 'I confess this never struck me before,' Iredell said. The proposed Constitution mandated native-born citizenship and 14 years of residency for presidential eligibility. Iredell was pretty sure that this, among other things, would keep popes out of the running. 'I know not all the qualifications for pope, but I believe he must be taken from the college of cardinals; and probably there are many previous steps necessary before he arrives at this dignity,' Iredell pointed out, rightly. 'A native of America must have very singular good fortune, who, after residing fourteen years in his own country, should go to Europe, enter into Romish orders, obtain the promotion of cardinal, afterwards that of pope, and at length be so much in the confidence of his own country as to be elected President.' Beyond that, he went on, in the late 18th century being president of the United States would be a significant step down from being pope. An American so intrepid as to make himself eligible for both offices would be unlikely to 'give up his popedom for our presidency.' Iredell was unstinting in his mockery of such fearmongering: 'Sir, it is impossible to treat such idle fears with any degree of gravity.' At issue in this flashpoint of the debate over the Constitution was the specter of absolute, despotic authority, which American Protestants associated with the papacy, owing to views of Catholicism inherited from the Reformation. We can observe this as the bigotry it was while still taking the point: Americans, having thrown off the yoke of the British crown, should be, as Abbot put it, 'suspicious of our liberties,' on the watch for any possibility that we might set ourselves up for a new despotism despite our best intentions. As of Thursday, for the first time in the nation's history, the bonkers worry that there might be a pope-president is, technically, a live possibility: Pope Leo XIV, a native-born American citizen of the correct age and more than 14 years' residency, really could—if he ever wanted to give up or split time with his 'popedom'—run for president of the United States. That fear, of course, is no more going to be realized than it was in Iredell's day. Much scarier is our actual president's own mocking suggestion, the week before an American was named pope, that he would really like to be pope himself. While some during the American founding era may have actually worried about a pope wanting to be president, no one in those debates over the Constitution ever wondered if a president would want to be pope. That is, no one imagined that an elected scion of the new republican thing we sought to create with the Constitution would joke about wanting an earlier, older, more absolute form of authority. Donald Trump's musing turns Iredell's mockery on its head: How could someone who has successfully convinced the free people of the United States to elect him their president ever associate himself with what 18th-century Protestants saw as the despotism of papal rule? Trump was trolling us, of course, the troll post being his default and favorite genre. He has already called himself a king and will persist in taunting us about his desire for a third term as president, in direct violation of the Constitution, right up until he actually tries to run for one (or just declares that he has one, by fiat). He is mocking our sense that he wants the absolute power of a monarch by professing his desire to have the absolute power of a monarch. Iredell knew there is no response to such mockery but more mockery. To be sure, there are aspects of Iredell's conception of religious freedom that today we find blinkered. Open-minded as he was in matters of religion, like most decision-makers of his era, he assumed that any good person fit for office would necessarily believe in a single supreme being and a future state of rewards and punishments. He was also an enslaver, blind, as so many others, to his own hypocrisies. But his instincts regarding religious freedom were the ones that we should revere today, and his mocking attitude toward bald stupidity is instructive and prescient. Religious tests, Iredell knew, had never done anything to keep the opportunistic out of office. 'It never was known that a man who had no principles of religion hesitated to perform any rite when it was convenient for his private interest. No test can bind such a one.' The president—an opportunistic person with 'no principles of religion' if there ever was one—has called Leo's election 'a Great Honor for our Country,' characteristically missing the point while giving himself (since he is the country, to his mind) credit for something he had nothing to do with. 'I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV,' Trump wrote. 'It will be a very meaningful moment!' Obviously, he meant that it will be meaningful for Pope Leo to meet him. Nevertheless, such a meeting will be meaningful: an American president shaking hands with an American pope, two bearers of globe-altering power, their origins separated only by the distance from New York to Chicago. Trump obviously doesn't realize that Leo will be the first-ever pope technically eligible to run for the American presidency, as those North Carolinian delegates feared so long ago, or else he would already be responding to the threat to his own power. As Iredell knew, accepting the possibility of error is part of the wager of freedom. Our democracy under the Constitution opens a free people to the possibility of mistakes that, in our collective freedom, we will all have to live with. The Framers could not, would not, guard against all possible electoral errors. 'It is impracticable to guard against all possible danger of people's choosing their officers indiscreetly,' Iredell told the North Carolina convention in 1788. 'If they have a right to choose, they may make a bad choice.' Error might be the cost of freedom, but freedom is also the only option for correcting error.
Press and Journal
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Kincorth pub boss hits out at boycott threats after hosting event for seriously ill Celtic fan
A pub boss has said he would 'do it again' after he hosted a 'community day' for a seriously ill Celtic fan – despite boycott threats from angry Dons. Andy Eagar took charge of the Abbot in the Kincorth area of Aberdeen six months ago. He held the event for a pub regular who had received life changing news just weeks before. Speaking to The Press and Journal, Mr Eagar said: 'All the lads in the community, whether they're Celtic supporters, Aberdeen, Rangers, Hibs, Man United or whatever, rallied together. 'They wanted to have a special day for him during the Celtic Scottish Cup semi-final. 'As a one off, they decorated the corner of the bar with some Celtic flags and the Celtic fans who drink in the bar got together with their tops on.' Former Hoops and Scotland goalkeeper Rab Douglas came up from Dundee to be part of the gathering. He ended up staying the whole night, missing his train home. Video messages from former Celtic manager and captain Neil Lennon, as well as former Parkhead and Aberdeen defender, Derek Whyte, were also played. After pictures of the event were posted on the Provost Watt Drive pub's Facebook page, however, some unofficial Aberdeen FC supporters pages urged Dons fans to boycott the establishment. Mr Eagar – an Aberdeen fan – said he'd been bemused by the reaction. 'It was a bit disappointing. 'It certainly knocked the wind out of the sales. 'Just trying to do something nice for someone could have had a pretty negative affect on our business.' Mr Eagar said he'd been sorry that some of those who attended were made to 'feel bad' about the reaction and the implications for the var, 'From my point of view, it was more of a community event, supporting somebody in the community that has had some bad news,' he added. 'When something like this happens, football colours go by the wayside and you rally around.' Though apologies have since come from the groups involved in the calls for a boycott, he said: 'You still get the Aberdeen diehards commenting saying we shouldn't have done that.' It was not just fans of the east end of Glasgow club that were at the Abbot that day, as the bar boss says 'a few' diehard Rangers fans were also in attendance. He admits they did not partake in singing 'Fields of Athenry' but adds: 'While the Rangers guys weren't singing along, they were in there supporting the guy as well.' One of the Abbot's barmaids – a 'staunch' Rangers fan according to Mr Eagar – was there and joined in the fun. 'She was in there and getting photographed with Rab Douglas and everything, just supporting the guy, and that's what it was about. Supporting.' Though the online threats 'got out of hand' Mr Eagar says the only bar in the 'Garden Estate' hasn't suffered any lasting damage. 'In the end, they got quite a lot of backlash themselves from people up here that know me personally,' he said. 'We were honoured to have given this guy a day to remember.' His main focus is continuing to make the pub a community one for all, 'rather than just a boozer for people to go and have a few drinks'. In the past six months, this has seen them the Abbot host themed evenings, 'looking after some of the older crowd', staging fundraisers for kids' football and sponsoring top amateur side Kincorth AFC. And would he host another community event for a terminally ill regular? 'I'd do it again for a Rangers fan, for anyone at all,' he said.
