Latest news with #PatrickGriffin
The Journal
a day ago
- Health
- The Journal
Results of cancer prevention initiative to be presented to EU Parliament
A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND CANCER prevention initiative promoting physical activity outdoors in green spaces is to present its results to the EU Parliament in Brussels. The Urban Action Against Cancer (UcanACT) pilot project in Kilkenny saw 62 adults aged 50 and over take part in physiotherapist-led exercise programmes across three parks last year. It was part of a three-city pilot also held in Bologna in Italy, and Munich in Germany, which aims to provide community-based outdoor exercise programmes led by experts as a preventative and cancer support tool for over-50s. The Irish men and women taking part included people living with cancer, cancer survivors and individuals without a diagnosis. The results of the pilot will be presented by Kilkenny County Council, the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists and the EU partners to the EU Parliament on Wednesday for assessment for wider rollout. The project will also be showcased as part of Your Council Day on June 27, which celebrates the services and work carried out by Ireland's county and city councils. Patrick Griffin, a Kilkenny-based prostate cancer survivor, who took part in the pilot said: 'An exercise regime was suggested to me because decreased energy is a common side-effect following radiation therapy. 'I always walked for fitness and never had an interest in gyms, but my wife had mentioned that I was slouching on our walks together,' the 78-year-old said. Advertisement 'I noticed many benefits as a result of the programme: my posture is better and my overall energy and concentration are stronger. 'The team were so well organised. They were genuinely watching out for each individual, adjusting exercises where needed, which is of massive benefit.' Over three years, Kilkenny County Council led the local implementation of UcanACT, working alongside the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP) and EU partners. The project aimed to create a safe space where people could exercise at their own pace, tailored to their abilities, participants reported feeling encouraged and supported. Janette Boran, Healthy Kilkenny co-ordinator at the county council, said participants saw significant benefits. 'Through focus groups, participants shared their positive experiences, highlighting key benefits such as improved fitness, better balance and strength, improved sleep quality, stronger social connections and reduced anxiety,' she said. 'The results of this study also reported that participants had significant reduction in fatigue and improvement in quality-of-life scores. 'Many also mentioned how exercising outdoors was important for their mental wellbeing. 'The programme has received strong support from the participants, and many who took part reported that they were surprised at what they were able to achieve with the guidance of a physiotherapist. 'The sessions were individualised within a group setting, so the full group met together but the activity was very tailored to accommodate the varied needs of the participants.'
Belfast Telegraph
a day ago
- Health
- Belfast Telegraph
Results of cancer prevention initiative to be presented to EU Parliament
The Urban Action Against Cancer (UcanACT) pilot project in Kilkenny saw 62 adults aged 50 and over take part in physiotherapist-led exercise programmes across three parks last year. It was part of a three-city pilot also held in Bologna in Italy, and Munich in Germany, which aims to provide community-based outdoor exercise programmes led by experts as a preventative and cancer support tool for over-50s. The Irish men and women taking part included people living with cancer, cancer survivors and individuals without a diagnosis. The results of the pilot will be presented by Kilkenny County Council, the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists and the EU partners to the EU Parliament on Wednesday for assessment for wider rollout. The project will also be showcased as part of Your Council Day on June 27, which celebrates the services and work carried out by Ireland's county and city councils. Patrick Griffin, a Kilkenny-based prostate cancer survivor, who took part in the pilot said: 'An exercise regime was suggested to me because decreased energy is a common side-effect following radiation therapy. 'I always walked for fitness and never had an interest in gyms, but my wife had mentioned that I was slouching on our walks together,' the 78-year-old said. 'I noticed many benefits as a result of the programme: my posture is better and my overall energy and concentration are stronger. 'The team were so well organised. They were genuinely watching out for each individual, adjusting exercises where needed, which is of massive benefit.' Over three years, Kilkenny County Council led the local implementation of UcanACT, working alongside the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP) and EU partners. The project aimed to create a safe space where people could exercise at their own pace, tailored to their abilities, participants reported feeling encouraged and supported. Janette Boran, Healthy Kilkenny co-ordinator at the county council, said participants saw significant benefits. 'Through focus groups, participants shared their positive experiences, highlighting key benefits such as improved fitness, better balance and strength, improved sleep quality, stronger social connections and reduced anxiety,' she said. 'The results of this study also reported that participants had significant reduction in fatigue and improvement in quality-of-life scores. 'Many also mentioned how exercising outdoors was important for their mental wellbeing. 'The programme has received strong support from the participants, and many who took part reported that they were surprised at what they were able to achieve with the guidance of a physiotherapist. 'The sessions were individualised within a group setting, so the full group met together but the activity was very tailored to accommodate the varied needs of the participants.'
CBC
02-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Riding the wave of buying local, this N.L. snack business looks to sprout up across Canada
Riding a surge in public support for buying local goods, a Newfoundland and Labrador snack business is looking to reach more consumers across Canada — and it just got a financial boost. The Oat Company founder Patrick Griffin said the $58,000 he is getting from the provincial government is going to help him reach his eventual goal of becoming a North American-recognized brand. "We know we can make it. We know we can ship it. We just got to work on that demand," Griffin told CBC Radio's The St. John's Morning Show. "So people are, you know, tripping over themselves to get an Oat Company bar." The current focus is to boost sales at the retail level, said Griffin, adding that in 2024 the company had "some success" getting onto more store shelves. When selling to a store, he said, he only needs to convince one or two people to carry the product. "The real hard part is getting off store shelves quickly into customer baskets," he said. "Now you need to convince thousands of people to buy your product." Griffin says that's a skill set his company has to learn, especially since he's venturing further out of the Newfoundland and Labrador market. "This funding will help us work with real experts — people, agencies, what have you — to get better at that and to just sell more quickly, sell more volume and grow the business," he said. Buy local boost In the wake of tariff threats by U.S. President Donald Trump, and an increased focus on getting Canadians to buy local, Griffin said The Oat Company has seen a boost in both online sales and in retail spaces. "We can see where people visit our website. We can see where the input's coming," he said. "That part has been good so far, and [there's] some good indicators that it'll continue to be good for us." The occasional order has been coming from the U.S., Griffin said, but growing the brand down south hasn't been a focus given the current "disagreements" between the two countries. "We're not going to waste five minutes trying to grow into the U.S. There's so much opportunity in Canada, even in Newfoundland still, after a few years of doing this," he said. Griffin says he and his family started making healthy snacks at home almost eight years ago to fill a gap for health snacks with no additives or added sugar or sweeteners. It evolved into a table at a farmers' market, and now their product can be bought online as well as through retailers. Griffin says 100 per cent of his business was in Newfoundland and Labrador to start, but that has shifted as the business began to focus on building the brand and reaching customers and stores. "Almost three quarters of our business is going outside the province, made here, shipped elsewhere — which is super exciting," he said.
