On Fridays Morning Focus John began by speaking to a listener that got in touch. Ellen Moore from Ballyvaughan called to tell John about her daughter Irene. Irene spent 24 hours on a trolley at University Hospital Limerick. She has serious heart issues. She was put into a regular ward without a heart monitor and was left in pain for 48 hours. She couldn't get into coronary care as it was full. Irene had surgery on Monday a fortnight after another surgery. Ellen says she was seriously worried for her daughter’s life. Clare Labour TD Michael McNamara also spoke to John about the number of people on trolleys in the A&E department in Limerick INMO figures for the first three months of the year show an 18% increase in the number of people on trolleys in the hospital's emergency department, and nurses say overcrowding is now a constant issue. 38 patients were on trolleys on Tuesday, 22 patients on trolleys on Wednesday and 16 people were on trolleys at the region's main hospital on Thursday.
Up next John spoke to some of the business people in Kilkee that have ongoing concerns surrounding the lack of post storm repair works. Earlier this month we heard how business people in Kilkee are calling for a state of Emergency to be declared in order for storm repair works to be carried out urgently. The civic trust and chamber of commerce have joined forces and claim parts of the town are now a health and safety risk following the winter storms. Clare County Council engineer Cyril Feeney at the time outlined timeframe for the repair works to be carried out in Kilkee. Paul Williams of Any Occasion Gift Shop – which is the official visitor information point in Kilkee and Williams Hardware Kilkee only yesterday met German tourists that decided not to stay in Kilkee because of the damage and they moved on to Kerry. Margaret Haugh of The Diamond Rocks Café Kilkee says it’s just embarrassing that nothing has been done and having to explain that to tourists is awful. Eileen Mulcahy of Kilkee Thalassotherapy Centre says she regularly walks as far as the golf club and says anyone wanting to do that walk pushing a buggy or in a wheel chair simply couldn’t go that way. All it would take is a couple of council workers to move some rubble.
Suicide or Survive (SOS) is celebrating its inaugural national fundraising and awareness day today. Feel Good Friday, as the day has been named by the organization, is about much more than feeling good – it’s a day when SOS encourages everyone to become more aware of their mental health. John spoke to Robert Carley, Strategic Consultant with Suicide or Survive (SOS) about the charity, what they do and the workshops he is involved with.
With many people flocking to local churches for religious services this Easter, John visited the Franciscan Friary this week to hear the novices rehearse for their Good Friday events, and to find out whether it's old traditions of faith, a search for new hope or the Pope Francis effect that's bringing higher numbers into the local friary these days. He spoke to Fr. Caoimhin O'Laoide, Novice Master and heard singing by Damien Casey, Ronan Sharpley and Richard Cutting all novices at the Friary.
Finally Jennifer Hornsby from Miltown Malbay spoke to John as she is holding an Easter Egg Challenge in her wild garden, behind her home, on Easter Saturday and Easter Monday to raise money for the Marie Keating Foundation. Teams of two children between 6 and 13 years old , supported by one adult will be taking part in a number of challenges, loosely based on the TV programme Celebrities in the Jungle. Schools close to Miltown Malbay have circulated the details to parents who have children of that age group in their school. The Challenges will start on both days at 10-30 am and 2-00 pm, each will last approx 2 hours. There will be small prizes for all children taking part. Entry price for a team is by sponsorship of at least 10 euros. To ensure that you do not have to wait too long please pre book your team. All money raised on the day will go to the Charity. Jennifer told John how she is being kept alive and active by a monthly injection of the Hormone "Fulvestrant". Two years ago just after her 80th birthday she had a lump and lymph nodes removed from her left breast but sadly last summer she found out that the cancer had headed inwards into her lungs. She chose the Marie Keating Foundation to benefit as Jennifer likes their motto, "Enlighten not frighten".
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