Health Board: Upcoming conferences, talks, campaigns and events

Dublin Rape centre seeks volunteers, while MS Readathon encourages young minds

1) The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre is seeking volunteers to train as Telephone Counsellors to staff its 24-hour national freephone helpline outside office hours and to support those attending the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit in the Rotunda Hospital. Volunteers come from every walk of life – no previous experience or training in this field is required as full training and ongoing mentoring is provided. Applicants must be a minimum of 25 years old and reside in the "01"telephone area. For further information please contact Dublin Rape Crisis Centre at (01) 661 4911 or email volunteerservices@rcc.ie. Closing date for applications is Friday, September 28th.

2) Psychotherapist Monica Haughey will host a free open evening for women working in complementary therapies on Friday, September 14th from 5pm-6pm in Oscailt Integrative Health Centre, 8 Pembroke Road, Dublin 4. Haughey facilitates a closed monthly group for women developing businesses in wellness and nutrition. Email monicahaughey.ie or call 086 6061015 for more details.

3) Resilience:The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope is an American documentary on how adverse childhood experiences build up toxic physical and mental stress. The documentary also looks at how health professionals are dealing with the long-term effects of divorce, abuse and neglect on children. The film will be screened at the Finglas Youth Resource Centre, Dublin on Tuesday, September 25th at 3pm. See the Irish Attachment in Action website and facebook.com/ResilienceImpactDoc for more details.

4) Women In Medicine in Ireland Network (WIMIN) is a new membership organisation for doctors and medical students which aims to promote, support and advocate for women in medicine. The first annual conference will take place on September 22nd at the Marker Hotel, Dublin. Speakers include Prof Aine Carroll and Siobhán Patten from the HSE, psychotherapist Dr Colman Noctor and health economist Dr Fiona Kiernan. See wimin.ie

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5) The MS Readathon encourages young readers to raise funds for services for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) by reading books between October 12th and November 12th. MS is the most common debilitating neurological condition of young adults in Ireland and affects more than 9,000 people in Ireland. MS affects the motor, sensory and cognitive functioning of the body and is usually diagnosed between 20 and 40 years of age. Three times more women than men are diagnosed with MS. There is no known cause or cure. The 2018 reading lists are at msreadathon.ie.

sthompson@irishtimes.com

Sylvia Thompson

Sylvia Thompson

Sylvia Thompson, a contributor to The Irish Times, writes about health, heritage and the environment