Advocate

In 2010, I volunteered as an advocate with Diabetes Ireland at the launch of the Diabetes Action Campaign and began lobbying local and national public representatives to highlight the need for improved diabetes services.

As an activist, I have been involved in the Diabetes Ireland’s National Podiatry Campaign, Diabetes Paediatric Campaign for insulin pumps, improved services in for people with type 2 diabetes, broader access to diabetes technology for all people with diabetes and most recently the implementation of the National Clinical guidelines for Adults with type 1 diabetes.

Advisor

My patient experience on navigating the Irish health service, as an organiser and as a support group facilitator means that I have been asked by a number of organisations and companies to share this experience in an advisory capacity. I also volunteer on several health committees and advisory groups:

January 2020 to present National Blood Transfusion Advisory Group

February 2019 to present Diabete Ireland Advocacy Group

2018 to present DSMA Diabetes Self Management Alliance Conference organizing committee

2017 to present HSE Service User Focus Group Panel

Speaker

I’ve been asked several times to share my experience in living with diabetes and to talk about the many benefits of access to technology.

• 2020 February - Diabetes Ireland Health Professional Conference “DIY Diabetes Technology: What and Why” co-presented with Tomas Mahony

• 2019 November - Laois Diabetes Support Group - “Diabetes Technology and Access”

• 2018 June - Abbott dXDublin - “Welcome To Ireland”

• 2017 November - Diabetes Self Management Alliance Conference Galway “An Empowered Patient My Journey”

• 2017 May - Future Health Summit “An Empowered Patient My Journey”

Event Organiser

Since establishing our diabetes support groups in Clare I have organised many information events locally, regionally and nationally on behalf of Diabetes Ireland and also as a founding member of a national community group and conference: Thriveabetes.