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DR Joe Fitzgibbon, author of Feeling Tired All The Time, will address the Irish ME Support Group monthly meeting on Wednesday…

DR Joe Fitzgibbon, author of Feeling Tired All The Time, will address the Irish ME Support Group monthly meeting on Wednesday, April 10th, at 7.30 p.m. in the Lansdowne Manor Guesthouse, 46/48 Lansdowne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin. The meetings which are held on the second Wednesday of every month, are open to ME sufferers, carers, relatives and friends.

INCU BABES, the support group for parents and families of premature babies, is holding a public meeting tomorrow at 8 p.m. in the Garda Club, Harrington Street, Dublin.

Set up by parents of premature babies who began their lives in incubators, Incu Babes aims to extend its network to allow parents to liaise with each other regarding particular difficulties their babies may have.

THE Place of Counselling and Therapy in Holistic Healthcare" is the theme of the spring conference of the Irish Association for Counselling and Therapy on Saturday, April 27th, in the Doyle Tara Hotel, Merrion Road, Dublin.

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The conference is open to medical practitioners, complementary health therapists and other caring professionals as well as counsellors and therapists.

Prof William Shannon, Professor of Family Medicine and General Practice, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, will give the keynote address at noon. Participants can get first hand experience of therapies at the afternoon workshops on reflexology, homeopathic medicine, spiritual healing, aromatherapy and music therapy.

The conference costs £30 and booking forms are available from tel: 01 2300061.

HEMI Help Ireland, the support group for parents of children with hemiplegia and professionals interested in the condition, are keen to improve their countrywide network off contacts.

A common form of cerebral palsy, hemiplegia is a muscle weakness and lack of control which affects one side of the body. In some children, this is very obvious, whereas in others, it only shows when attempting specific physical activities. Additional emotional, behavioural or perceptual problems, learning difficulties and epilepsy are often associated with the condition which affects about one child in 1,000.

Although the causes of hemiplegia are unknown, its onset involves damage to some part of the brain before, during or after birth. Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy are the main treatment approaches.

Understanding hemiplegia and knowing how you can help your child achieve his/her potential is vital. Contact HemiHelp Ireland for more information. Tel: 01 4520613.

FEMALE Urinary Incontinence is the subject of this Tuesday evening's lecture at 8 p.m. in the Coombe Women's Hospital Conference Centre, Dublin. Dr Chris Fitzpatrick, urologist, will speak on the condition which will be followed by an open discussion.

Sylvia Thompson

Sylvia Thompson

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