Tag Archives: cerebral palsy

COUNCILLOR Ann Norton still feels sick in her stomach seven years after recalling a “horrendous” experience in University Hospital Limerick when a Do Not Attempt Resuscitation (DNAR) was allegedly placed on her daughter’s medical file without their consent. While Nicole Norton (25), who is a wheelchair user with Cerebral Palsy, is still very distressed over this incident, she felt strongly this had to be challenged to ensure no other vulnerable patient or family will experience what she and her mother went through in UHL back in April 2016. A hospital consultant appeared before a medical inquiry over his direction that Nicole Norton did not have the capacity to decide herself if she should be resuscitated in the event of a cardiac arrest. Dr Hassan Zaid was accused of poor professional performance at Irish Medical Council’s (IMC) fitness-to-practise committee following two separate complaints submitted by Ann and Nicole within weeks of this “distressing” incident. Following a screening process, the IMC decided …

A LOCAL woman has questioned if the HSE believes the health and life of her daughter is “worth more than €600”, following a traumatic experience. Nicole Norton (19), who suffers from Cerebral Palsy, requires intrathecal baclofen therapy (IBT) to prevent her from going into possible spasm, internal organ and heart failure. In an interview with The Clare Champion, her mother, Ann Norton, said she got a phonecall from a senior clinician on Wednesday of last week informing her that the HSE would no longer pay for the cost of refilling this pump because it is too expensive. It costs about €600 to provide medication for the pump every five or six weeks. Ms Norton said she was told the medication for the pump is “not being released from the pharmacy due to the cost”. “I felt sick in my stomach that the HSE would put Nicole’s life at risk for the sake of €600.” Councillor Norton said if Nicole goes into …

Transition-year (TY) students are rallying behind a Barefield teenager with Cerebral Palsy to complete a 50-kilometre wheelchair push through picturesque parts of North Clare. Nicole Norton, who is a transition-year student at St Flannan’s College, Ennis, has organised a unique fundraising initiative in aid of Clare Crusaders’ Clinic, where her mother, Ann, is managing director. Although Nicole is confined to a wheelchair, she likes to do things herself and is anxious to raise some money for the clinic, which she attends for treatment on a regular basis. The TY 100 Wheelchair Push is a one-day, 50-kilometre wheelchair push and walk, whereby Nicole, accompanied by her fellow transition-year students from schools across the county, will be pushed along the scenic wild Atlantic Way on Saturday, May 3. Starting in Lahinch, the group will make their way to Ennistymon on to Lisdoonvarna, Doolin, the Cliffs of Moher and Liscannor, before finishing in Lahinch. Throughout the walk, Nicole and her fellow students will …

THOUSANDS of young people around the country collected their Junior Certificate results this week but for one 16-year-old, it was a day she and her family were not sure they would ever see. An elated Nicole Norton collected her results from St Flannan’s College in Ennis on Wednesday afternoon. The Barefield teenager, who has cerebral palsy, achieved five honours after sitting exams in maths, English, geography, religion and CSPE in June. “I am so proud. People told us that they couldn’t see a day when Nicole would sit a State exam and now she has three As and two Bs,” Nicole’s mother Ann beamed. “Nicole is completely reliant on people. She has very little movement. She is in a wheelchair. Her right side is slightly better than her left but she doesn’t have a huge amount of control of her body. She uses a laptop and types with one finger. She is visually impaired and she has a speech impairment. …

A SOUTH Galway mother is calling on the Government to provide more support for parents of children with special needs, who she says are at breaking point. Sonja Luan Devine’s son, Ché O’Grady, is 11-years-old and suffers from cerebral palsy. Since he was born, as well as being his mother she is also his carer but because Ché’s needs are so great, Sonja is unable to work and finds it difficult to make ends meet. “People have no clue how tightly families with children with special needs are squeezed. Even the fact the dole is the same as carer’s allowance is, quite frankly, insulting on a very deep level. Because I have a partner, I get half the carer’s allowance so I get €100 per week. A trip to the hospital in Dublin could cost €150,” she says. Even if she had the time to work, Sonja doesn’t believe anyone would hire her. “I don’t think I’m employable at the …