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HEALTH AND FITNESS NEWS AND EVENTS

Darkness Into Light, Pieta’s annual fundraising event to raise money for lifesaving suicide and selfharm support and sponsored by Electric Ireland, is back at 4.15am on Saturday, May 11. Over 100,000 participants are expected at more than 230 official walks across four continents and many more taking part to fundraise in their own way. Singer Erica Cody, pictured, is one of the ambassadors who is calling on the public to sign up today. See darknessintolight.ie, and visitpieta.ie or for 24/7 support via the Freephone crisis helpline, call 1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444.

The Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin, has launched a new €11.6 million research programme focused on Cerebral Palsy at University College Cork (UCC).

ELEVATE, a ground-breaking five-year initiative, has been funded under the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Strategic Partnership Programme, with co-funding partner The Cerebral Palsy Foundation (CPF).

Pictured is Prof. Deirdre Murray, ELEVATE Co-Lead, Prof. Geraldine Boylan, ELEVATE Co-Lead, Prof. John O’Halloran, President UCC, Tánaiste Micheál Martin TD, Rachel Byrne, Executive Director, CPF and Dr Siobhan Roche, SFI.

The Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) has released ‘Art by Their Side’, a book highlighting the transformative effect of art on individuals at the end of life. Pictured is Paula O’ Reilly, CEO of the IHF and Dominic Campbell, Arts & Cultural Engagement Lead of IHF. Hard copies of the book will be distributed free of charge to those involved in end-of-life care in hospital and nursing home settings as well as others involved in end-of-life and bereavement care. It is also available online at hospicefoundation.ie.