Sligo woman with MS describes ‘heartbreak’ of seeing Community Worker supports available elsewhere but not at home

By Philip Rooney, The Sligo Champion

MS Ireland is renewing its call on Government to provide funding for a dedicated Community Worker serving people living with multiple sclerosis in Sligo as part of the upcoming October Budget.

People living with MS in Sligo currently do not have access to a dedicated MS Ireland Community Worker, leaving them without the same level of local support available to people living with MS in other parts of the country.

Earlier this year, MS Ireland presented its Sligo Leitrim Business Case to more than 40 Oireachtas members in Leinster House. The proposal seeks an investment of €72,997.56 to provide a full-time Community Worker delivering dedicated local casework and support across Sligo and Leitrim.

With the October Budget approaching, MS Ireland is asking Government to address this longstanding gap and ensure people living with MS in Sligo have equitable access to essential community based services.

Across the rest of the country, MS Ireland Community Workers provide one to one support from diagnosis onwards, help people navigate health and social care systems, connect people with services including physiotherapy, fatigue management and respite, and provide advocacy around entitlements and supports.

Without a dedicated local post, people living with MS in Sligo must rely on remote or intermittent outreach, meaning they may not have timely access to these vital supports.

A dedicated Community Worker would provide support and early intervention, improve coordination between MS Ireland, the HSE and local services, and provide consistent support for families and carers.

A Sligo woman living with MS, who has previously experienced the support of an MS Ireland Community Worker in Donegal, said, “I was diagnosed 20 years ago with MS and because I was able to use some of the Community Worker services from Donegal, I know the value of those services, especially when newly diagnosed.

Urging support to be provided in the upcoming budget she described the difficulty of seeing support available to people in her position elsewhere in the country but having none here in Sligo.

“I also know the heartbreak of seeing those services available across Ireland but not in Sligo. I find it painful that just because of where I live I cannot access those MS Ireland services.

“I know how important they are to people living with MS in Sligo, and I really hope we can finally get approval in the new budget.”

Her experience formed part of the local campaign highlighting the importance of access to Community Worker support, particularly at diagnosis and at times when people need help navigating health and social care services.

MS Ireland is urging Government and Sligo Oireachtas representatives to support the funding request in the October Budget and ensure people living with MS in Sligo are no longer disadvantaged because of where they live.

Article Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.