Kilgarvan mother rises to the challenge
Noreen joins with Vera Twomey to fight for medicinal cannabis for 22-month-old son
A KILGARVAN mother, who has been campaigning for medicinal cannabis for her son, has joined forces with Cork campaigner, Vera Twomey, and both will climb Croagh Patrick this weekend where they will call on Health Simon Harris to listen to their impassioned pleas.
Noreen O’Neill, says her son Michael, stopped suffering debilitating seizures after she started treating him with CBD oil earlier this year. Prior to that he suffered up to 20 seizures a day.
Michael suffered his first seizure, when he was just three months old, and was diagnosed with bilateral frontal polymicrogyria, a brain condition, and global developmental delay.
CBD oil is categorised as a health supplement in Ireland but is not licensed for prescription by a doctor, so Noreen has to use it without medical knowledge and cannot purchase it as a long term medical treatment for her son. She and Vera are calling for this to be designated for medical use.
“Michael is a different child since he started. It is incredible. He is progressing really well.”
Noreen, like Vera, has applied for a licence for medicinal cannabis, known as THC, but has been refused and the pair are campaigning strongly for the licensing system to be changed as it is not working.
“It is a farce. It is putting the onus on the consultant. THC should be the same as any other prescription and should be legislated to allow it be used for medical use,” says Noreen.
Noreen, made headlines earlier this year, when she wrote an open letter pleading with Minister Harris to meet with her.
She will re-iterate this plea on Sunday when she joins Vera Twomey to climb Croagh Patrick as a symbol of the arduous journey that she and other families have to face on a daily basis fighting for medicinal cannabis.
“We want to put some pressure on before the Government break for the summer. We have got huge support.”
Ms O’Neill has received more than 12,000 signatures on a petition calling for legalisation of medicinal cannabis.