Connacht Tribune
Galwegians thrive after trauma to cope with visual impairment
Two inspirational Galwegians whose determination to live life to the full despite debilitating sight loss have both told their stories of living with visual impairments with the aim of inspiring others.
Leo Hynes from Tuam and Katie Joyce from Oranmore are two of six people to feature in the National Council for the Blind in Ireland’s annual report.
All six are living with a range of visual impairments including Wet AMD (age related macular degeneration), Chorioretinitis and sight loss following brain trauma.
Story…Leo Hynes from Tuam.
Leo Hynes was born with Geographic Atrophy with very little sight in his right eye but this didn’t have a major impact on his life, going on as he did to become a Computer Engineer and avid sportsman.
However one day Leo noticed something wrong with his right eye and he knew immediately that it was potentially serious.
“When I moved my eye the curve of the line moved with me and I knew something wasn’t right,” said the 47 year old.
“I immediately contacted my GP who make an appointment for me in the Galway Clinic. Tests were done and I was diagnosed with Wet AMD. I was started on a course of injections and was warned not to take part in any sport for three months,” he added.
The past eight years have been a series of ups and downs for Leo; he has had to give up work and driving, which has caused a huge impact on his life and that of his family.
“It has caused massive upheaval and yes I have been angry, frustrated and fearful,” he said.
“My life as I knew it is changed irreparably and the loss of much of my independence is very difficult to accept. However that is where the NCBI has proved to be a huge source of support.
“I availed of the counselling and the support group, talking is key, nothing seems as bad once it is talked out. It is so important to meet with others in the same situation. I also have picked up tips and suggestions to make life easier, I use the magnifiers and other visual aids and it all helps.
“Just knowing that I can turn to the NCBI is a source of strength and hope, things would be so much blacker without it,” said Leo.
That’s a sentiment that would be shared by Katie Joyce who was only 17 when she was rushed to Beaumont Hospital for surgery after a brain tumour – a bolt out of the blue – had a massive effect on her sight.
“Following the brain tumour, Katie had all sorts of things to deal with,” explained her father Noel.
“It was a horribly traumatic time for all of us and I have no doubt that it was very frightening for Katie. That said she is a very positive girl who never complains, she is an inspiration really.
“We turned to the NCBI for help and guidance, we didn’t know what else to do,” he said.
Noel was glad that they did and describe the NCBI ‘as a Godsend’.
“It has given Katie help, support, information and a network of contacts, adding that she has come on in leaps and bounds,” he said.
As a busy student, the magnification devices available from the NCBI are vitally important to Katie – and Noel said she takes full advantage of the many items available, using the CCTV reader, magnification glasses and ruler on a regular basis for her College studies.
Optimistic for her future, Noel added: “This is down in no small part to the NCBI, they are at her shoulder and I only have good things to say about the organisation”.
There are 2,623 people who are blind or vision impaired in Galway.
The NCBI provides practical and emotional support, rehabilitation services and other training designed to help people with sight loss to live independently.
NCBI Galway, is based at Odeon House, Eyre Square, Galway.
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
