Headford News and Community Spotlight - Doing What Comes Naturally

Tomorrow night, Thursday, 16 October at 7:30 pm, don't miss Maev Creaven, registered Nutritional Therapist and Functional Medicine Practitioner. She'll be at the Headford Parish Hall giving a talk on natural health and wellness through nutrition. The evening's topic, The Truth and Myth About Thyroid Health is free and will contain loads of valuable information.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT 

This Sunday, 19^th October 2014, marks the end of an era. No, it’s not the end of an ice age, and Queen Elizabeth has not yet handed the crown over to Charlie. It’s not even the last day of the semi-annual Brown Thomas sale. Nonetheless, it is the end of an epoch, for both Headford and County Galway. On October 19^th at 6 pm, Headford resident, Tom Geraghty will perform his last ‘TG on Sunday’ show, to be broadcast live on Galway Bay FM.

Tom Geraghty, TG on Sunday

After sixteen years of playing old favourites and classics peppered with information and chat, Tom will be retiring. Always a modest fellow, Tom, who is father to four and grandfather to seven, beams when he says, ‘The whole family are comin’ in for the last show.’ Then, he immediately gets shy. So when someone asks, ‘Will you miss it, Tom, doing the show?’ A lopsided grin touches Tom’s face, and a twinkle dances in his eye before he quips, ‘Oh, I can’t get out of there quick enough.’

But Tom’s a veteran performer—a ‘natural,’ so they say—and one might rightly suspect that it’s not so easy to give up a career in the spotlight and ‘go gentle into that good night.’

The first act of Tom’s career started with the Galway Post Office, where he worked delivering the post. ‘It was one of the most enjoyable times in my life,’ Tom says, ‘Because that’s when I met Lily.’

Lily, Tom’s wife of 52 years, helps him tell this story in a charming way. They take turns, like two good actors. Back in 1960, Lily was working as a telephonist at the post office. Tom had noticed her at work but didn’t have the courage to ask her out. Then, one Sunday, Tom and a bunch of other lads were sitting on O’Brien’s bridge watching the girls go by, as they did every Sunday after mass. When Lily walked by, Tom did what came naturally, and asked her out.

‘I said “No,” of course,’ Lily remembers, ‘but he was very persistent.’

‘Finally,’ Tom says, ‘I told her I had tickets to a social (a dinner and dance).’

Lily continues, ‘Then I couldn’t say no because he’d already bought the tickets.’

They were married in 1962, and because of that bizarre archaic law, Lily had to give up her job at the post office. But Tom kept going, delivering the post in Galway, Headford and Dublin for a total of 39 years. That included getting dog bites that required stiches and driving the mail van all the way to Clifden each day.

During the second act of Tom’s life, he headed up the local St. Vincent de Paul Society and was Chairman of the Headford GAA. But it was his involvement in theatre that propelled him to local stardom. In the 1970s, he’d moved back to Headford (he’s now living next door to where he grew up), and became passionate about the stage. ‘We had a terrific drama group,’ Tom says. The Headford Drama Group eventually morphed into ‘Pegasus.’ Tom shows me a photo taken in 1915 (well before his time) of the Headford Drama Society in full costume for a production of ‘Colleen Bawn.' Clearly, there was a time when theatre was taken seriously in Headford.

Headford Drama Group's production of Colleen Bawn (1915)

‘We won three All Irelands in the 1970’s,’ Tom says. He was also in national productions for the Irish Drama Festival. So when Lily says, ‘He was very good. Everybody said he was very natural on stage,’ it seems like an understatement. Especially when you consider the way the third act in Tom’s life began . . .

Tom circa 1970s production of I Do Not Like Thee Dr. Fell

It was during one of those award-winning Irish Drama Festival productions that Tom was approached by a CEO from Galway Bay FM. He was chosen to take over a country/western show from John Francis King, and eventually given his own programme.

‘I didn’t even know what a cd was,’ Tom remembers, ‘but the station rep told me, “You won’t be too long here before you figure it out.”’ A friend gave him some cds to get him started and Tom says he still has the same cd player he had when he started this gig back in 1998.

‘Oh, it scared the life outa me,’ Tom says.

‘It scared me even more,’ Lily deadpans. ‘I was always afraid of what he might say next.’

But Tom says, he did ‘whatever came naturally’ on air during his shows, and since he’s still at it 16 years later, Lily must be right. He’s a natural.

Though the curtain will come down on TG on Sunday this week, Tom’s still active in the community. When asked if he has any words of wisdom to offer, Tom thinks about it for a while before saying, ‘I’d advise people to get involved.’ His own life is a testament to the fact that getting involved keeps you going strong.

Don’t miss TG on Sunday, Galway Bay FM (95.8), 6 to 8 pm this Sunday, October 19, 2014 for the last time!

Headford News and Community Spotlight - The Raging Epidemic in Ireland

Pumpkin Festival at The Headford Community Garden on 25th October at 2 pm in the Garden next to the mart (weather permitting). For only €5 per family enjoy activities like Scarecrow Building, Pumpkin Carving, Halloween Sweet Hunt. Please bring old clothes, a pillow case, wear your fancy dress, and they'll provide the rest.  For further details please ring Kathleen at 086-3151852.

Rainbows twelve week programme will be starting at Solas in late October for ten to twelve year olds. This programme is to assist children who have had a loss through separation.  If your child, or any children you know, could benefit from Rainbows, please pass on the information. Phone Solas to reserve as places are limited (093.36446).

Solas Church Gate Collection
A great big THANK YOU! from goes out from the Management & Staff of Solas Family Resource Centre to the communitues of Headford, Caherlistrane, Claran and Cornerchapel for their generous contribution to our church gate collection. We are delighted with the success of this collection which netted €1,426.58, including Claran €262.44, Headford €623.95, Cornerchapel €302.50 and Caherlistrane €237.69.  This money will help us continue to provide support and services to the community, including Counselling Service, Meals on Wheels, and many more services. 

And an extra special big thank you to all our volunteers who gave of their time and energy to make this collection possible. Thanks for showing the Love, Headford! 

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT 

There’s a raging epidemic in this country and it isn’t Ebola. In fact, this epidemic is global. An estimated 27 million Americans have this disease. There are no official records in Ireland, but it is estimated that the numbers far exceed the staggering number of reported cases. Then there’s the fact that the number of cancer diagnoses related to this disease has tripled since 1975.

What is it? Thyroid Disease.

If you think about it, you probably know someone who has been diagnosed with it—or worse—has the symptoms but has never been diagnosed. Maybe you have the symptoms yourself, because the list seems endless. For hypothyroidism, the symptoms include tiredness, sensitivity to cold, weight gain, depression, constipation, slow movement and slow thought, muscle aches, and weakness. For hyperthyroidism, the symptoms are weight loss, increased appetite, rapid heartbeat, nervousness, anxiety, tremor, sensitivity to heat.

Unfortunately, the numbers above are probably under estimated because thyroid disease usually goes undiagnosed. Or worse, traditional physicians refuse to do the necessary blood tests and, instead, misdiagnose thyroid disease as depression. They then prescribe anti-depressants, which only exacerbate the situation.

When I asked Alan Costello, M.D. of Headford Health Centre, why physicians will not do full thyroid panel blood testing (including T3, T4, thyroid anti-bodies, etc.), he said it was a matter of money and logistics. The Galway University Hospital lab (a public facility) does not offer a full thyroid panel because it would not be cost-effective for the lab. According to the Galway Primary Care lab, some blood samples to be tested for thyroid function would have to be kept on ice and tested within two hours of collection.

So, money and logistics. Great. In the meantime, you could be suffering from a disease that’s making you miserable.

Alternatives

There is an alternative. And, when it comes to thyroid health, if you’re interested in healing yourself rather than just masking the symptoms, the alternative is the only choice.

Enter Maev Creaven, a Galway-based registered Nutritional Therapist and Functional Medicine Practitioner. In case you don’t know, Functional Medicine practitioners develop individual treatment plans for the people they treat. So, rather than slapping an anti-depressant on your symptoms, Maev offers an in-depth consultation, either in person or via skype, a personalised nutrition course, monthly check-ins, weekly updates, and even daily support with what she calls ‘bits of homework.’

Having experienced hypothyroid symptoms herself a few years ago, Maev is a big-proponent of going gluten-free. However, she says, ‘There’s no restriction in healthy eating.’ Yet, going gluten-free is a major life style change and not for everyone. Gluten, that buzzy little protein that’s found in wheat, barley, and rye, has been demonised of late. You may or may not be gluten sensitive, and if you’re not sensitive, there’s really no point in giving it up. But Maev recommends that people eliminate foods like sugar, gluten and dairy, and then keep a log of their symptoms. She says, in her experience, ‘99% of people’s symptoms improve.’

‘Ask yourself, “How do I feel after eating [fill in the blank].” If you give it up for a while, do things improve for you?’

Her favourite dietary advice is the 80/20 rule. If you eat well 80% of the time, then 20% of the time you don’t have to think about it.

Maev is one of the few practitioners in the west of Ireland who offers full thyroid panel blood tests. According to Thyroid Support Ireland, [ http://mythyroidireland.webs.com/] there are several physicians in Dublin, including functional medicine practitioners, who will do a full thyroid panel blood test. They will also prescribe the more natural desiccated thyroid (Maev does not). Desiccated thyroid (which comes from pigs), has been proven to be more helpful to most people than its synthetic counterpart, thyroxine, which is prescribed by most M.D.s. Interestingly, physicians usually refuse to prescribe the more natural desiccated thyroid, even though there is no science—no double-blind, peer-reviewed studies—that prove thyroxine is more efficient at relieving symptoms than desiccated thyroid.

Maev gives advice for all auto-immune diseases, not just for thyroid issues. She works with people with metabolic disorders and cancer, as well as advising about preventative health care. Doing everything from corporate health seminars to teaching cooking classes at Cancer Care West, Maev has helped many different people with all sorts of conditions, ‘I work a lot because this is something I’m very passionate about.’

Since the rate of absenteeism is quite high in Ireland, Maev is hired by corporations to educate their employees. She imparts loads of information, like how to eat healthy while traveling, how to make good smoothies, and what to buy at the Statoil station that’s healthy for when you’re in a hurry.

With bright eyes, an infectious smile and a flawless complexion and figure, Maev is a walking advertisement for her health services. ‘Health to me is a combination of a few areas,’ she says. ‘It includes quality sleep, movement, lifestyle, connection with loved ones, lots of play-time, being outdoors and, of course, smart nutrition.’ 

Free Information 

If you’d care to find out more about Maev’s practice or thyroid health, Solas is sponsoring a community service evening on Thursday, 16 October at 7:30 pm in the Parish Hall. Maev will be speaking on The Truth and Myth About Thyroid Health. Admission is free.

Read more about Maev Creaven here: http://www.nutritioncentre.ie/en/

Headford News and Community Spotlight - Book Clubs!

This weekend, the 4th and 5th of October, will be the annual Church Gate Collection in aid of Solas Family Resource Centre. Our funding has been cut by 15%, so in order to continue our programs like Affordable Counselling Service, Drop-in information and leaflets, free or discounted education, Meals on Wheels, rural transport, Men’s Shed, support for loan parents, and many others, we are forced now to begin fund raising. If you’ve ever dropped by Solas and appreciated a cup of tea and a chat, a 10 cent copy of your passport, or any of the services listed above, now’s the time to show your support. Supporting Solas helps support your community. So, on your way into church this weekend, show the Love, Headford! 

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

When it comes to choosing between playing an Xbox game or reading a book, which would most kids pick? Well, that’s a no-brainer. The Xbox game, of course. But that’s the problem. It’s pretty much a no-brainer. While technology skills are important, and you don’t want your kid to be on the wrong side of the great digital divide (those who have technology skills vs. those who don’t), there’s a lot to be said for the antiquated custom of reading a book. Especially reading a book in good company.

There are several reasons why book clubs have become fashionable. Oprah’s Book Club led the way and films like The Jane Austen Book Club, as well as countless online book clubs have encouraged reading in groups. Everyone knows that reading expands your horizons, but book clubs can do a lot more. In-depth discussions and an exchange of viewpoints all contribute to increasing your knowledge and appreciation of the world around you, while simultaneously offering a great social forum.

Here in Headford, the Library is home to two different book clubs. There’s one for adults, which meets the first Wednesday of each month. You can read about that on the Solas post at this link:

http://www.solasfrc.ie/search?updated-max=2014-04-15T11:28:00%2B01:00&max-results=7

The other is a group for children from 8 to 13 years (the age range is flexible, as long as the child can read confidently). The kids meet once a month at 4 pm in the Headford Library and there’s not an Xbox in sight. Yet, they do seem to have fun.

That might be due in part to the creative ideas of the person who started this club. Bobbie Sparrow used to read to toddlers at ‘Storytime’ in the Headford Library, but then her kids grew older. As a result, she stopped ‘Storytime’ and started a children’s book club instead.

Bobbie Sparrow

‘Each month the children get a copy of a book, and at the next meeting—the following month—we discuss it.’ Bobbie says. ‘The emphasis is on fun, ideas, chat . . . it’s definitely not formal.’

                   

Bobbie, who is a psychotherapist by trade, says she has ‘a great love of literature. I even did my mini-thesis on children’s literature.’  

‘I originally worked in social care with children and when I did that I used to read an awful lot to the children and found that it had a great benefit.’

The kids are encouraged to bring in their favourite book and everyone talks about it. Sometimes they discuss and define different terms, like ‘What is an author? An editor? A publisher? ‘But it’s not about teaching,’ Bobbie insists. ‘It’s about stimulating and illuminating.’

These meetings aren’t just about reading. The kids play a lot of games too. Like ‘Silly Sentences,’ where each child writes a sentence—any sentence they want—on a piece of paper, then they fold over the top of the page so no one else can see what they’ve written. The process is repeated until an entire A4 page is folded up. Then the sentences are read aloud, like a story. ‘But, of course, it doesn’t make any sense and causes a lot of giggles,’ Bobbie says. The kids have now cut and pasted one such story into a book of their own.

On Roald Dahl’s birthday, they read one of his stories, ate chocolate cake and sang happy birthday to Dahl. Sometimes they each come up with a great first line for a book and write it down. And, most of the time, they head to the playground after the meeting.

‘I wouldn’t recommend that a child come just once,’ Bobbie says. She thinks it’s important to be patient in the beginning, get to know people and settle in. ‘But there’s no pressure,’ she assures. ‘You don’t have to read the whole book if you don’t like it. Just say a little bit about why they didn’t want to finish it at the next meeting.’

There are obviously no hard and fast rule to this group. In fact, as Bobbie puts it, ‘If you stood outside the door, all you’d hear is a lot of noise and laughing.’

So the next time a child tells you their Xbox is way more fun than any book could ever be, you might want to suggest the Headford Children’s Book Club.