Health Board: upcoming conferences, talks, campaigns and events

1) On Tuesday, May 1st at 7.30pm, Parentline will host a public talk entitled, "Raising Happy Children in an Anxious World" in Wynn's Hotel, Abbey Street, Dublin 1. The key speaker is Stella O'Malley, psychotherapist and author of Cotton Wool Kids (Mercier Press) and Bully Proof Kids (Gill Books). Tickets at €5 from info@parentline.ie. The Parentline Helpline, 1980 927277 or 01 8733500, is open Monday-Thursday, 10am-9pm, and Friday, 10am-5pm. See parentline.ie.

2) The Green Ribbon campaign, which runs throughout May, aims to reduce stigma around mental illness by prompting a national conversation about mental health and encouraging people to educate themselves about mental health difficulties. About 500,000 free green ribbons will be sent out to homes, workplaces, schools, colleges and communities across the country as a visual symbol for talking about mental health. Green ribbons are also available at major Iarnód éireann stations and Boots stores nationwide. The campaign is led by See Change, which works with more than 100 other organisations throughout Ireland. See change.ie/greenribbon.

3) People with psoriasis and their families are invited to the #AskHowIFeel Living with Psoriasis free public information evening on Friday, May 3rd, from 6pm–7.30pm, in The Alex Hotel, Fenian Street, Dublin 2. Nicola Ralph, consultant dermatologist; Eddie Murphy, clinical psychologist; Caroline Irwin, psoriasis patient advocate; and Dr Clodagh Loftus, GP and clinical expert in psoriasis, will share practical techniques and advice for living with the condition. See irishskin.ie.

4) Billed as Ireland's largest health, fitness and wellness festival, WellFest will be held in the Royal Kilmainham Hospital grounds in Dublin on May 12th and 13th. Events include yoga, pilates and exercise classes. There is a new focus on pregnancy and babies this year with baby yoga, antenatal pilates, infant nutrition and sleeping sessions, as well as tips on health, fitness and wellness during pregnancy, post-partum and in the baby's first year. There will also be yoga and Zumba classes for children. See wellfest.ie.

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5) The second of three public lectures run by mental health support group Aware will focus on recovery from mental health difficulties. The talk at 7.30pm on May 9th will be given by Dr Ann Sheridan, lecturer and assistant professor at UCD Schools of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems. The lectures are held in the Lecture Theatre, Swift Centre, St Patrick's Hospital, James' Street, Dublin 8. See aware.ie

6) An app called ‘EmotionSpace’ has been developed to help women with metastatic breast cancer to track how they are feeling, and request and receive emotional support from family, friends and other people with the disease.

Patient support groups Europa Donna Ireland, the Irish Cancer Society and the Marie Keating Foundation, have partnered to increase awareness of the direct support that is available to people living with metastatic breast cancer, which can help address the negative feelings associated with the disease.

Metastatic breast is an advanced form of breast cancer where the cancer has spread from the breast to other organs of the body. The app - designed in consultation with patients and supported by Pfizer - is currently live and can be downloaded from emotionspace.ie, the App Store or Google Play.

sthompson@irishtimes.com