Zarah Reid, 7, from Omagh was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes three years ago, after her mum noticed a number of symptoms, including being tired and going to the toilet a lot. Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented and occurs when the pancreas is no longer able to produce insulin. It is the most common type of diabetes in children and young adults. Zarah’s mum Lorraine explains: “She was a perfectly healthy four year old. She went to nursery school and was just like all the other little girls. “The first thing we noticed was that she started to have meltdowns for no reason. I know all young

Community Pharmacy Living Well Campaign Winner. Certificate presented to O’Kanes Pharmacy, Draperstown, for their winning Stay Well This Winter campaign, the third of five Living Well campaigns running throughout the year in over 500 community pharmacies across Northern Ireland. Pharmacies were asked to raise awareness through creating displays and engaging with their local communities to enable them to help the public prepare for the winter months. Key actions included encouraging to plan ahead and take positive steps towards better health, advising on self-care, and highlighting to patients

A report published on 28 January 2020 delivers the most comprehensive analysis of UK health research funding ever compiled. Bringing together data from 146 charity, professional and public sector organisations, the UK Health Research Analysis 2018 found that in 2018 these funders contributed £4.8 billion to support research to improve human health. The report was compiled by a collaboration of 12 public and charitable funders led by the Medical Research Council, on behalf of the UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC). The UKCRC partnership supports coordination and collaboration between

Don’t forget your sunscreen – that’s the message from the Public Health Agency (PHA) and Cancer Focus Northern Ireland to those heading off on a winter break. At this time of year many people will be flying off to catch some winter rays or hitting the ski slopes, but it’s important to stay safe in the sun, even during winter. Denise McCallion, Senior Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Officer at the PHA, said: “Many people forget to pack sunscreen when going on a winter holiday. People may not be aware of the risk of sunburn during winter months but it is important to take steps to

Caolan O’Neill, 6, from Derry was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes last year, after his teacher noticed he was going to the toilet a lot. Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented and occurs when the pancreas is no longer able to produce insulin. It is the most common type of diabetes in children and young adults. Caolan’s mum Amanda explains: “Caolan was quite the typical 5-year-old boy, he was very happy-go-lucky, enjoyed playing with his friends and dreaming of being a YouTuber and he had just started his first term in Primary 1 and was really loving it.” Caolan attended St Paul’s Primary and

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is taking the opportunity during Cervical Cancer Prevention Week to highlight the importance of women taking up the invitation to have cervical screening. Statistics show that between 2013 and 2017, there was an average of 83 women diagnosed with cervical cancer each year in Northern Ireland. Dr Damien Bennett, Consultant in Public Health Medicine at the PHA, said: “Between 2013-2017 there were around 21 deaths from cervical cancer each year in Northern Ireland. It is therefore important for women to accept their invitation for the screening test – it could save