My Moving Brain event to take place next week
By Daniel O’Neill
An event where participants will have open discussions on brain health and inclusion in sport is Leeside bound.
The Research Ireland Centre for Translational Brain Science FutureNeuro will be bringing the My Moving Brain event to Cork on 22 March where a Come and Try sports session, led by Cork Sports Partnership, will also feature.
The event, taking place in Mayfield Sports Complex, is open to people of all ages and abilities. In partnership with Epilepsy Ireland, the Neurological Alliance of Ireland, and Cork Sports Partnership, the aim of the event is to identify barriers and opportunities that allow or prevent people with neurological conditions from being active.
The initiative allows the community to interact directly with researchers and learn about the different challenges faced by people in hopes of finding a resolution. It gives individuals and families a chance to have their voices heard.
This will be the second event of its kind, the first of which took place in Dublin last November. Organisers of the event said the previous one was a success with many people leaving with the confidence to partake in sport and activities.
The event will feature special guest Michael McKillop MBE, four-time Paralympic gold medallist in athletics who lives with epilepsy and cerebral palsy. He will discuss his conditions and speak about his experience competing with them, as well as how important it is to break the stigma.
He said: “Epilepsy is not just a medical diagnosis; it’s part of who I am. It’s crucial to challenge misconceptions and show that neurological conditions don’t have to limit a person’s potential.”
Ian O’Brien will also be featured, who was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease five years ago. In June 2023, Ian completed the Eur-Up-Ian Challenge which saw him climbing the highest peaks in all 27 EU countries and the UK in 28 days. He climbed Mont Blanc, Mount Olympus, and Carrauntoohil.
One in six people suffer from a neurological condition in Ireland, many of them facing exclusion from sport because of a lack of awareness or understanding. This can easily be solved with small adjustments to make sport accessible for everyone.
A Neurological Alliance of Ireland spokesperson said: “We are proud to be part of My Moving Brain, a vital project to raise awareness and promote inclusion in physical and sporting activity for people living with neurological conditions. Too often this group feel marginalised, physical activity is not just important for their wellbeing but for the opportunities it provides to be involved in activities within their local communities”.