Miriam Martin

Syringomyelia Arnold Chiari Association (SACA) is a Northern Ireland registered charity. We provide information and support to families living with Syringomyelia and Chiari Malformations. Helpline 078 26 004 008 Info@saca.org.uk

What provision is being made to ensure the city centre remains accessible to Disabled people during the Fleadh? We can see no evidence that @belfastcc has considered access requirements. How can this happen? Are Disabled people welcome at this major event? @deptinfra

@AddressingLife Look up camping trolley, or festival cart. Four wheels, foldable, with a handle.

Does anyone out there have any clever ideas on how this gear can be carried by a disabled homeless person rather than on his walker? He can't even sit down on the seat or see over the gear. Are there actually any wheeled accessory options, for example?

@joanne_sansome Congratulations Joanne

🚨Personal News🚨 I look forward to working with all stakeholders as “PPI is critical to making research more relevant, impactful & inclusive. [In] ensuring that the voices of people with lived experience are heard & drive meaningful & lasting change.”👇 qub.ac.uk/News/Allnews/2…

📣 👏 I am pleased that all eight quality statements have been published by NICE today. As a member of the steering group, we are very proud of the work we have done to contribute to this project & know it will be an excellent resource #RARDTAC #RareDiseaseNI #RenalResearchNI

✨Celebrating Rare Disease Day✨ @a_j_mcknight is a long-standing leader in rare disease research. Over 114,000 people across Northern Ireland are living with a rare disease. Read more on AJ and her team's great work & how HSC R&D support this community: research.hscni.net

There is also a risk of airborne asbestos, so please keep windows and doors shut while emergency services deal with the risk. Stay safe everyone. @NIFRSOFFICIAL

@gordonlyons1 falsely claims spending on benefits is out of control. Evidence proves spending as a proportion of GDP hasn't risen since 2010. We will call out any politician who uses misinformation, designed to scapegoat already marginalised groups. #WelfareNotWarfare

It's been lovely weather - for ducks - lately 🦆 ☔ But why has it been so wet, and will it ever stop raining? 🕶️ Our @barrabest has some answers. bbc.in/4bN8Mx4

@AddressingLife A beautiful photo all the same, some sunshine promised in NI for Friday, hope you get some too in south east! Take care.

Another day without seeing the sky. Rainy & dark all day. 10hrs & counting. I think I've seen blue sky twice in the past 3 weeks. Utterly depressing. For someone who already struggles with depression, this weather compounds that struggle. No amount of 'happy memes' will help.

One week ago, after living with #ME for over 26 years, & armed with an ME info pk (just in case) this is the actual question I was asked by a HCP who voiced genuine concern after reading 1 x A4 sheet abt #PESE Why indeed?

This is a very serious issue. Medicine supply to NI is vital to people’s health and wellbeing. The Minister must do everything he can to ensure that correct medications are available to patients when they need them.

@cellah26bsky @BelTel Possibly. Even amongst our politicians!

@mirmrtn @SuzyJourno @LucidTalk @BelTel I do wonder though do people not "think" about elderly care/packages until it effects them, so don't really make the connection

EXCLUSIVE: The UUP's Mike Nesbitt is NI's most popular minister with Alliance's Naomi Long the worst rated in @LucidTalk poll for @BelTel. And SDLP Opposition leader Matt O'Toole scores higher than everyone bar the Health Minister. belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/…

@mgtruth @cellah26bsky At least you can see headlines here. I agree, huge problems to be addressed in health. He seems to be able to make decisions, more than can be said in many other departments up in Stormont.

@mirmrtn @LucidTalk @cellah26bsky @SuzyJourno @BelTel I’m not subscribing to the BelTel Miriam. Haven’t paid for any newspaper in years. I don’t doubt that he’s made changes and his reset plan is a positive. Failure on introducing a winter plan, and the continued rise in private medicine, low wages, GPs & more all not addressed.

@mgtruth @LucidTalk @cellah26bsky @SuzyJourno @BelTel Ruth, I responded to poll, you should register for future Lucid polls, and subscribe to Bel Tel!! Nesbitt has made many positive changes, more than can be said for other ministers. He attends, listens & has still lots to do! Overall Total scores for ministers all under 50% poor

@LucidTalk @cellah26bsky @SuzyJourno @BelTel I’ll confess to not subscribing & only reading sections of the article that others have posted. It is very close. I cant imagine any health minister with the waiting lists we have in GB getting that level of support? I’m not making it political btw, just a health question.

@cellah26bsky @SuzyJourno @LucidTalk @BelTel Lots of issues in the poll have impact on healthcare, eg access to hospitals - infrastructure, also cost of living / housing big impact on peoples health. If poll asked participants to number 1-18, rather than 1-4, I expect care for elderly/care homes to be higher.

@mirmrtn @SuzyJourno @LucidTalk @BelTel I read her whole article... My point was , a lot of the backlogs in hospitals is due to older people/nursing homes/home packages and yet people aren't that concerned about it. Its as if they dont make the connection between the two

@cellah26bsky @SuzyJourno @LucidTalk @BelTel Those completing poll could only give top 4 of 18 priorities, it's not surprising health got such a high score. Suzanne's article gives an excellent breakdown of the poll.

@SuzyJourno @LucidTalk @BelTel Suzanne i don't understand how 74% are concerned about Health yet only 12% are concerned about elderly care... Do people not recognise how inextricably linked they are ?

#Syrinx resolution after surgery isn’t always immediate. While some improve within weeks, studies show it may take 6.5–8 months on average—and in rare cases, much longer (up to 26 months). Learn more: tinyurl.com/syringomyelia #Syringomyelia #Neurosurgery #neuroscience 💙 Did your syrinx resolve immediately or over time? Comment below!

@AddressingLife Beautiful 🥰

My latest blog piece. One day older. "Today, my second-born son, Declan, is now one day older than my first-born son, Brendan Bjørn. 17 years, 7 months, and 18 days. One day older, one day more, than Brendan Bjørn ever got to live." transitioningangels.com/2026/01/10/one…

🗓️Personal and Public Involvement (PPI) training in 2026🗓️ Why not join our FREE online #BuildingResearchPartnerships NI Training and learn about #PPI on Tuesday 21 April 2026, 10.30am – 12.15pm. All welcome to join. No experience needed. To register, email cara.mcclure@hscni.net

@philipnolan1 Part of me wonders is Fiona being clever and 'stirring the pot'!🤔

I thought we outgrew ‘I’m a better friend than you are’ in high babies. Fiona let herself down, badly. #TheTraitorsUK #TheTraitors