Palliative Care is about more than dying

Delighted to contribute to this article on Palliative Care by June Shannon in the Irish Times this week.
http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/palliative-care-is-about-more-than-dying-1.2821073

It is a privilege to work in the area of palliative care and I am inspired daily by the people I care for and work with.

SAVE THE DATE: International Stillbirth Alliance Conference comes to Cork. 22-24 September 2017

Save the date!

The Pregnancy Loss Research Group at University College Cork & Cork University Maternity Hospital are to organise and host the International Stillbirth Alliance Annual Conference in 2017.

This important conference will take place on the main campus of University College Cork in Cork City from 22-24 September 2017.

Please save the date now and follow @ISACork2017 and www.ISACork2017.com

New Irish Perinatal Bereavement Standards launched

The Health Service Executive recently published National Standards for Bereavement Care following Pregnancy Loss and Perinatal Death in Ireland. This is a welcome development to ensure the highest level of care for bereaved parents at each of the nineteen maternity units/ hospitals in the state.

As a chaplain I was delighted to be invited to be part of the Expert Development Group and was honoured to work with over twenty other healthcare professionals over the last two years to bring this work to completion.

The challenge now is to move toward implementation which is being ably lead by Dr Keelin O'Donoghue, Consultant Obstetrician and Fetal medicine specialist at Cork University Maternity Hospital and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at University College Cork. Dr O'Donoghue also leads our multidisciplinary Pregnancy Loss Research Group at CUMH/UCC.


On a personal note I acknowledge the support of the Diocesan Council of Cork, Cloyne and Ross and the Board of Directors of St Luke's Home, Mahon who together fund my chaplaincy post. In addition to providing pastoral ministry at Cork University Hospital and Maternity Hospital this funding has enabled me to contribute to this important national process.

A PhD is a team effort

I was recently conferred with a PhD from University College Cork. A PhD is very much a team effort and I wish to acknowledge with gratitude the encouragement and support of my family, close friends, supervisors, and wonderful work colleagues. I also wish to acknowledge the support of the St St Luke's Home Charity who generously co-fund my chaplaincy post with our Diocesan Council. Above all I thank the bereaved parents, obstetricians and chaplains who participated in my research. Your stories are treasure. Thank you