The Association has been talking to Mr. Mc Cann about new developments in the West. We are happy to report that recruitment is under way to get a full time Speech and Language Therapist along with a Counsellor and hopefully a Cleft Coordinator.
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Summer Family Day – A Great Success!!
The Association’s first ever Family Activity Day, held in Arklow, Co. Wicklow, on the 19th June 2004, has proved a great success. Ten families attended, including some twenty children and their parents. Children ranged in age from 1 to 16 years, and they participated in water-based activities, football and fun games. Parents were not slow to participate and everyone admitted to having a wonderful time. Canoes, kayaks, row boats, speed boats! And no one afraid to get their feet wet. The soccer game proved a forty-goal thriller! As for the ‘Royal Rumble’!
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Recent Publicity
Cleft treatment has got an amount of publicity recently. There were two articles in the Irish Times Health Supplement on the 23rd March. The main article dealt with the current crisis in Speech Language Therapy services with contributions from several voluntary organisations including CLAPI. The second article was specifically about Cleft treatment & early SLT intervention. Again CLAPAI made a contribution to this article.
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Research – A Message from the HRB
The Health Research Board wishes to sincerely thank all the CLAPAI members who have taken part in our study so far. The study has continued to expand with over 1, seek 000 families presently involved. The more people we have in the study the more valid our research findings will be. The study aims are to find out what causes clefts and to investigate how clefts can be prevented from occurring. Without the valuable input from families, we would not be able to undertake this important research.
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Information Evening & AGM (Oct’03) – Report
The Association’s AGM took place on the evening of Thursday, 16th October, in the William Stokes Building, St. James’s Hospital, Dublin 8.
The AGM was preceded by addresses from our two guest speakers, Ms. Helen Smith from the UK organisation Changing Faces, and Ms. Laura Fingleton, the newest addition to the national committee of the Association.
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CLAPAI has new Chairperson
Eddie Byrne has succeeded Ruairà Ó Dúlaing as Chairperson of the Cleft Lip and Palate Association of Ireland.
RuairÃÂ has stepped down as Chairperson after 7 years. Many of you will know RuairÃÂ from various events and from telephone support. Those of you that do and were not present at the recent AGM will agree with the sentiments expressed on the night regarding RuairÃ’s excellent contribution to the work of the Association. The incoming committee would like to thank RuairÃÂ for his time and energy.
Temple Street Team News
The Speech and Language Therapy Department in the Childrens’ University Hospital Temple Street are delighted to announce that Dr. Triona Sweeney has been appointed adjunct Professor in Speech and Language Therapy by the University of Limerick. This is a joint Academic/Clinical Specialist post and is the first professorship in the Allied Health Professional group to be attached to a teaching hospital.
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Stickler Syndrome Support
Stickler Syndrome is a RARE condition associated with Cleft particularly Pierre Robin. It affects areas of the body where there is cartilage for example joints. There are only 12 diagnosed cases in Ireland.
Whilst there is a newly formed support group for Stickler Syndrome ethically they cannot be given families’ names and so making contact is difficult. If you are one of those families and would like to join the group please contact Theresa Corrigan 042 9665548.
See www.stickler.org.uk for more information on Stickler Syndrome.
New Speech and Language Therapy courses come on stream
Though one could say twelve months behind schedule, ask it is nevertheless good to see the additional course places recommended by the Bacon Report finally come on stream. Together with the already existing 25 or so places available at Trinity College, treat Dublin, These additional places see the number of graduates taken in rise from 25 to nearly 100 annually.
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MINI MARATHON WINS AGAIN!
Once again the mini marathon has delivered much needed funds to the Association. This year Anne O Brien from Rathangan Co. Kildare rallied a team of 20 to fund raise for the event. With a mix of participants and collectors they managed to fill over 25 cards and lodge an incredible €2, physician 961.50.
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