An Enniskillen mother who had a stroke when she was 37 weeks pregnant has urged the Health Department to retain the stroke unit.
Ciara Murray (35) from Enniskillen but now resides in Coa had a stroke four years ago when she was pregnant with her son James, and credits SWAH for saving her and her son’s life.
In October 2015, Doctors had to carry out three hour long surgery to remove the clot on Ciara’s brain alongside an emergency Caesarean section, and she spent ten weeks at a specialist unit at SWAH.
Ciara is speaking out after the Department of Health announced a public meeting on proposals to ‘reshape’ stroke services across the North which will be held at the Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen on June 19 at 7pm. The consultation includes six options with four of the options including the removal of the stroke ward at SWAH. The reshaping stroke proposals involve a new network of ‘Hyperacute stroke units’, and the Department claims this is about ‘ensuring patients have access to the best possible care in regional centres of excellence.’
Ciara believes it is ‘disgusting to even consider taking stroke services away.’
“People will die – if services at SWAH goes, people will die. I took a stroke four years ago when I was 37 weeks pregnant, and if it wasn’t for SWAH, I would not be here today nor would my baby boy. We have a grade A stroke unit here, so the people in Belfast and Derry could learn from us for a change. I was only 32 when I had a stroke, and I always thought a stroke was for older people, but I got my eyes open. We need to keep the excellent services.”
Ciara has urged everyone to come out and attend the public meeting and to fill in the consultation.
“The last public meeting was great – it showed that we would not stand by and let them take our services so I would encourage everyone to come out again and show them what we think in Fermanagh. It is despicable to think they might take it away. We are lucky to have Enniskillen, people in more rural areas should not be asked to travel any further than SWAH. We have to get the message out to the Department of Health that we will not accept the removal of the stroke unit.”
People urged to have say…
FERMANAGH Stroke Support Group has travelled the county urging people to fight for the retention of vital services.
The group has organised several workshops throughout the county to help people respond to the SWAH stroke unit consultation.
More dates for workshops have recently been added –
Wednesay June 12th at the Stroke Hub 11am to 3pm.
Wednesday June 12th at
Roslea Community Centre from 6pm to 9pm.
Thursay June 13th at Enniskillen
Library from 10.30am to 9pm.
Friday June 14th at the Stroke Hub from 11am to 3pm.
Saturday June 15th at the Stroke Hub from 11am to 3pm.
Tuesday June 18th at Derrygonnelly Community Centre 6pm to 9pm.
Wednesday June 19th at the Stroke Hub from 11am to 3pm.
Thursday June 20th at Tesco from 12 noon to 4pm.
Friday June 21st in Tempo
Saturday June 22nd in Maguiresbridge from 11am to 2pm.
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