Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland (SBHI)

Pictures from this year's Vhi Women's Mini Marathon

We are so grateful to the 9 people who joined and have raised over €8,200 and counting! Absolutely incredible!!

Thank you to each and every one of you - looking forward to next year already 😊

https://sbhi.ie/gallery/vhi-womens-mini-marathon-2024/

Here are the dates for our upcoming Coloplast Clinics!

Wednesday 12th of June and Wednesday 10th of July

To arrange your clinic appointment on either date or to arrange a virtual consultation (phone or online) with experienced nurse Debbie , please contact the clinical coordinator on
01 9190192 or email [email protected]

Which breakfast would you prefer for race day??

Here are some Race Day breakfast ideas 😄

Vhi Women's Mini Marathon

The Vhi Women's Mini Marathon is almost here and the 2024 Race Magazine is live! We are so grateful to be featured as one of four chosen charities by GivenGain Foundation 💙🧡
You can find the magazine here ( we are on page 29 😉 )

Vhi Women's Mini Marathon Official Race Magazine 2024 The Official Race Magazine of the 2024 Vhi Women's Mini Marathon. The event takes place on Sunday, June 2nd at 12:30pm.

This Lunch & Learn for volunteers is next week! Attendees will receive an overview of the grieving experience, including the impact of personal and professional loss, and tips for coping with loss.

⭐Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2217147250527/WN_53JCKhWFRMqEB0jD7bYHwg

If you are a family carer/ limited to working 18.5 hours a week please link in with Count On Us Recruitment 🙌🏻

Thank you so much Fiona for giving such an educational and inspiring talk at our Conference 💙🧡

Delighted to be hosting a stand Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland (SBHI) annual conference

Thinking of gaining employment in 2024?

The next 'Get Job Ready' event being held this year is coming up on May 30th in Dublin.

If you have Spina Bifida and/or Hydrocephalus and are interested in support with writing your C.V. or cover letter, learning about personal skills for the workplace and building your confidence to interview this event is for you!

As per the post, booking is essential - email [email protected] to book

On the day:
CV Building, Interview techniques, Soft Skills.
Information on how employment can affect your Social Welfare Payment.
Mock interviews with skilled interviewers from the National Treasury Management Agency.
Lunch will be provided. Goodie bags to assist with your job search will be included.

May 30th, 10am - 4pm
National Treasury Management Agency, Treasury Dock, North Wall Quay, Dublin 1, D01A9T8.

Travel information: The Red Line Luas stops very near to the NTMA at Spencer Dock.
The 151, G1, G2, and N4 Dublin Bus routes have stops close by the NTMA.
The M3 Parkway Service train also stops nearby.

Less than a month to go until the VHI Mini Marathon!!

Will you be joining ?🧡💙

If you cannot make it but would still like to support SBHI you can text GIVE to 50300 to donate €4

We have added the photos from our April Family Weekend to our website ☺️

You can view them here:

sbhi.ie

Will you be joining us this year in Palmerstown House Estate for our annual SBHI Golf Classic??

You can register your team here: https://form.jotform.com/sbhireland/golfclassic

Our first Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland (SBHI) guest for our outdoor broadcast is Leah, talking about her taekwondo!

Tune in live: https://live.phoenixfm.ie/

Listen back: https://m.mixcloud.com/925PhoenixFM/

Get Rare Aware! Join us at 12.30pm today for our online event for people living in HSE region Dublin and South East (South-East Dublin, Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford and most areas of Wicklow) to support our call for urgent action to expand the newborn heel prick test screening services provided in the first days of life to babies born in Ireland by registering at: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/get-rare-aware-briefing-hse-dublin-and-midlands-health-region-tickets-867419794957

The SBHI What Works For Me team will be attending the AHEAD Building the Future Careers Event for school leavers and graduates on 29th May in Dublin City Centre. We invite anyone who would like to attend with us to reach out.



Please feel free to contact us if you need support such as assistance with CVs or travel arrangements for the event.

Contact us at [email protected] or on 0871889941

Kickstart your career with ! Our annual careers fair which connects disabled students and graduates with leading Irish employers. Experience a mock-interview, get feedback on your CV, have a professional headshot photo taken or get chatting with employers in the industry you want to work in.

More information or sign up now for €5 - https://buff.ly/3P8lYAs

SBHI Sports Day 2024 🏓

Congratulations to Shane Minto, pictured holding the cup for being awarded the 'The Spirit of Sports Day' Julieanne Bell Memorial cup award, presented by Gerry Bell. 🏆

Thank you to the below Clubs/People that contributed their time on Sunday at our Sports Day event.
We would like to send out a big Thank You to all the Clubs/People that contributed their time to facilitate taster sessions at our Sports Day.

These included:

Table Tennis Ireland / John Finn
Boccia Ireland / Padraic Moran and Lisa Callaghan
Infinity Movement / Shauna Finn
Taekwon-Do ITF Warriors Inclusion / Helen & Aaron
Badminton Ireland / Kerrie McCarthy
Gerry and Breda Bell
Celbridge Access Group
Community Garda Chris Fallon
Irish Red Cross
Leixlip Amenities Sports Centre
Crafty Cafe

If anyone would like contact details for any of the clubs please contact Sharon Reville at [email protected] or PH: 087-9799-426

SBHI is proud to be a campaign partner for this year's campaign by Rare Diseases Ireland.

At 12.30pm on Thursday, 18th April 2024 they will be holding an online launch of the Get Rare Aware campaign for people living in HSE Dublin and Midlands. At the launch, you will hear from Vicky McGrath, CEO of Rare Diseases Ireland, and others on the importance of the newborn screening heel prick test for early diagnosis and treatment.

You can register for this event here:
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/get-rare-aware-briefing-hse-dublin-and-midlands-health-region-tickets-867419794957

We had such fun today hosting our Sports Day! 🙌🏻

JOIN TEAM SBHI!

Sign up today for the VHI Women's Mini Marathon Vhi Women's Mini Marathon and get a FREE TEAM SBHI T-shirt to wear on the day! 👕

How to sign up?
> Go to https://www.vhiwomensminimarathon.ie/
>Select whether you wish to run in Dublin, or virtually.
>Fill in your details
>Select the option to create a fundraising page and choose Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland from the dropdown
>Proceed to checkout

Once registered, please contact Noelle at [email protected] to arrange postage/collection of your free T-Shirt.

We hope to see you there! 😁

We are heartbroken to share with you all of the passing of our Dear Friend Frankie.

Frankie was a lifelong best friend of Hellen Martin & Tiny and a beloved Member of the Open Opportunity Service.

Frankie was everyone’s friend, always smiling and helpful and had a heart of pure gold. Frankie had achieved so much during his time in the Day Service and was so so proud of these achievements. He was looking forward to all that was to come and was extremely happy. We take solace in this and in the beautiful memories that will stay with us forever. You will be missed everyday our Forever Friend❤️

A reminder that booking forms and programme for our AGM have been sent to all members and must be returned by this Wednesday, April 10th. If you have not received the info please email [email protected] ASAP

A message from Gerry Maguire, our Chief Executive Officer:

''The Easter break coincided with the clocks going forward to signal summertime. This is a rare enough event and this year made it feel like a new beginning, a chance to re-energise. This is what we are doing with our SBHI website. The website has looked a bit jaded over the last while and certainly in need of upgrading and updating. With that in mind, following a lot of work, especially by our Communications Officer Noelle, we are using this time of change of season to relaunch our much improved website. I would like as many of you as possible to visit the website and let us know your views on it. Like everything else in Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland, this website isn't the property of me or the staff, it is your website and therefore it is crucial that you are happy with it.''

Check out the new site at https://sbhi.ie 😃

Yesterday we were delighted to host a Wheelchair Skills Workshop provided by Go-Kids-Go in TUS Athlone who provided lunch for us. GoKidsGo provided extra wheelchairs for parents and siblings to get involved in testing out their wheelchair skills and were invited to take part in all aspects of the workshop.

The skills worked on through out the day included moving the wheelchair in different directions, getting over small bumps, popping wheelies, mounting kerbs of different heights, road safety and safety when using path ways beside a road, techniques for wheeling up a slope and down a slope, techniques for emergency evacuation when on the upper floor of a building, avoiding falling out of your wheelchair and what to do if you do fall out of your wheelchair.
This was broken up with games including wheelchair dancing and wheelchair basketball.

Roy from Go-Kids-Go offered lots of support to everyone participating to try out new skills/techniques safely and to build confidence.

Here are some of the fun activities we have planned for our sports day next weekend 😃

If you would like to come along please let us know by emailing [email protected] before this Thursday!

The deadline to register for our Sports Day has been extended to next Thursday, April 4th! So if you haven't already, get in touch with Sharon on [email protected] to register asap.

Marcus, our Peer Mentor, attended the Apprenticeship Expo last Thursday, March 21st. The event was held at the Knightsbrook Hotel in Trim, Co. Meath.

This was an excellent event where he had the chance to meet many businesses, organisations, and education providers that offer a wide variety of exciting paid apprenticeships.

SBHI is thrilled to announce the latest addition to our Inclusive Partners family: Mr. Price Branded Bargains.
Mr Price will be working closely with us on the What Works for Me programme.

Last week, SBHI's Employment Coordinator, Karen Chadwick, and Peer Mentor, Marcus Ward, had the pleasure of meeting with Edel Mc Sorely, Operations Director of Mr. Price, to solidify our exciting new collaboration. This partnership holds tremendous promise, offering invaluable support to participants of the What Works for Me programme as they navigate towards meaningful and enduring employment opportunities. They are dedicated to empowering individuals with Spina Bifida and/or Hydrocephalus, helping to take significant strides towards fulfilling and sustainable careers.

Has your child been to hospital? Would they like to help us create information about going to hospital to help other children?

On April 4th, we are hosting a fun-filled children's event (Ages 7-11) to hear their ideas for our new Kids Information Hub! Register below or for more information, please contact [email protected] or call 087 9909281.

Register Now - https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/childrens-consult-planning-the-children-in-hospital-ireland-kidshub-tickets-856874092477

The Taekwondo Athletes from the SBHI Open Opportunity Service competed in the Leinster Open Championship, earning their medals 🏅