Cavan people stepped up!
DILOrganisers ‘overwhelmed’
“Cavan people stepped up greater than ever before!”
Fiona Corby, one of the local organisers of the annual Darkness into Light (DIL) walk in aid of Pieta House, told theCeltthis week they have been “overwhelmed” by the “phenomenal” response of Cavan people.
The walk, a major fundraiser for the charity nationally, was cancelled this year but many people and clubs took it upon themselves to do their own walks within current Coronavirus restrictions.
Fiona, who organises the walk locally with Claire Conlisk, explained that the most they ever raised in the county before this year was €54,000.
She says it’s difficult to quantify the end figure, as funds are still coming in, but that target has been smashed this year with an estimated €70,000 raised in the Cavan Town area alone.
Fiona paid particular tribute to Cavan Minor Ladies captain Áine Reilly who did the walk in memory of her friend Shane. She was backed by the Cavan and Monaghan ladies online and dozens of other clubs.
At the time of going to print, over €54,000 had been raised under the banner of Áine’s fundraiser.
Fiona says it’s a “testimony” to Cavan people who have come together like never before to “break the stigma” attached to mental health problems.
Pieta House has started providing services two days a week in Cavan Town and the Tusla Child Wellbeing Centre in Castleblayney, Co Monaghan.
Grainne Skelly, psychotherapist with Pieta Cavan/Monaghan Outreach, expects the service to be fully open and operational once social distancing restrictions are lifted. The service is currently being offered over the phone.
She admits that the phone lines have “never been busier”.
“It’s a very anxiety provoking time right now especially among people who were already vulnerable coming into this. It’s very difficult,” says the Virginia native.
The HSE also supports people bereaved by suicide through the Suicide Bereavement Liaison Officer (SBLO) Service.
SOSAD in Cavan has also experienced a surge in calls in recent weeks. “We’d normally receive five to six calls a day. Now we’re dealing with 10, maybe even 12,” reports Christine Wynne, co-ordinator of SOSAD Cavan.
Christine says SOSAD are encountering new cases on a daily basis, with issues such as financial woes caused by job loss, relationship struggles, concerns over the now-cancelled Leaving Cert and even crippling loneliness - all combining to create the “perfect storm”.
The SOSAD team closed their office in March due to nationwide restrictions and the need to socially-distance. Christine and her team believe those affected most by the current situation are people who used various other outlets such as sport to alleviate anxiety.
“The ones who had been engaging, had coping mechanisms, but no longer have those opportunities available to them. It’s those people we’re finding are being affected most and finding all this most difficult.
“We’d find too, the other part of our service, not having the drop-in centre (Bridge Street, Cavan Town) is also a big loss.”
A number of tragic incidents in the county, not to mention pressures among young people preparing to sit the now cancelled Leaving Cert examination, also sparked a worrying climb in calls.
“There definitely was, and because of who they were. A lot of whys? People have a lot of questions from that, and they struggle because of that,” explains Christine.
It’s not all young men contacting the service either.“It’s a combination. Some of the calls then are people looking for answers none of us can give. When is everything getting back to normal? What is the new normal? People don’t want to hear about a new normality. They want things to go back they way they were, but we all know, or at least now are realising, things might never be the same after this. Accepting that is another stress level.”
SOSAD is now providing support across a range of new platforms such as Zoom and Skype.
“It’s about reaching out, making the connection. Don’t ever suffer alone,” Christine urges.
SOSAD Cavan can be contacted on 049-4326339/041-9848754. Text SOSAD to 50300 to donate €4.
Pieta House can be contacted 24 hours a day on 1800-247-247 or text ‘help’ to 51444.
The SBLO can be contacted on 085-8706591. This service is delivered through Pieta House and funded by HSE NOSP.