0:00:15 > 0:00:21Hello and welcome to a health-themed Lifeline here at Titanic Belfast,
0:00:21 > 0:00:27where I'll be visiting a major conference for people affected by multiple sclerosis.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30And we'll be getting a musical accompaniment from a choir
0:00:30 > 0:00:34whose singers have all been touched by cancer.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38# Sun and moon and stars of light
0:00:38 > 0:00:41# Sun and moon and stars of light. #
0:00:41 > 0:00:48But first, to the Premature Baby Unit at the Royal for our charity appeal from TinyLife.
0:00:56 > 0:01:02Every year more than 2,000 babies are born prematurely in Northern Ireland.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06These tiny babies may be small, but they've a huge fight on their hands.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11We look after babies right down to 23-24 weeks gestation.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15Those babies when they're born, they weigh about 500g.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18That's basically half a bag of sugar.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Some of them during the course of their journey
0:01:20 > 0:01:24can develop problems which will affect them in the longer term.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27And, obviously, we try as much as possible to avoid that,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30but clearly in some cases that's not possible.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34The reasons for premature birth are sometimes unexplained,
0:01:34 > 0:01:39but they're often due to medical conditions affecting the mother.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43But the help and support doesn't stop when these infants are allowed to go home.
0:01:43 > 0:01:4725 years on from its early origins,
0:01:47 > 0:01:53TinyLife has developed a range of family services to meet the baby and parents' needs.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56Apart from funding pioneering medical research,
0:01:56 > 0:02:02TinyLife offers a hospital-to-home volunteer support programme.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04The girls were born at 32 weeks.
0:02:04 > 0:02:10And Poppy she weighed 3lb 12oz and Tilly weighed 4lb 3oz.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13And for the first three weeks of their life
0:02:13 > 0:02:15they were in the neo-natal unit in Craigavon Hospital.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19TinyLife, they were fantastic, they were able to supply me with a breast pump.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23The hospital was doing all the care for the babies
0:02:23 > 0:02:27and I felt I couldn't do anything, but with the help of TinyLife and the breast pump
0:02:27 > 0:02:31I could express milk and give them the milk that they needed.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34The services are first class. They're there when you need them.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37There's help which Kate has now
0:02:37 > 0:02:39where she can get her wee bits and pieces done through the day.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43I can't always be there, so they're there for you.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47TinyLife were able to match the family with a TinyLife volunteer
0:02:47 > 0:02:51who visits Catherine and William on a weekly basis,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54offering practical and emotional support.
0:02:54 > 0:03:00And there's help with therapeutic massage to allow the babies to relax and bond with Mum.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06But there's a constant need for volunteers to help with TinyLife's work.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08I would definitely recommend it 100%.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12It's very, very rewarding.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14You get a lot more out of it than what you give.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18'To me it's just a few hours of my time every week
0:03:18 > 0:03:22'and you get to meet new people. You definitely make a friend.'
0:03:22 > 0:03:24He's having a great wee sleep there.
0:03:24 > 0:03:30'Each year it costs a half a million pounds to deliver our services to families across Northern Ireland.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32'We receive a little bit of money from Government sources,
0:03:32 > 0:03:36'but primarily it's through the generosity of the public
0:03:36 > 0:03:39'who get involved in many of our fundraising events.'
0:03:39 > 0:03:40?10 could buy
0:03:40 > 0:03:42a much needed breast pump kit.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45?50 could support a volunteer to be
0:03:45 > 0:03:47in a home for two hours each week.
0:03:47 > 0:03:52And ?100 can deliver a parent-support group in a local community.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54More fish!
0:03:54 > 0:03:57This is TinyLife's new sensory room
0:03:57 > 0:04:01where babies are introduced to therapies to help their development,
0:04:01 > 0:04:05muscle tone, coordination, digestion and sleeping.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16Nature's wonderful, she really does get it right most of the time.
0:04:16 > 0:04:16Being born too early though is
0:04:16 > 0:04:20Being born too early though is tragic,
0:04:20 > 0:04:21because there are no other problems,
0:04:21 > 0:04:27it's just the baby is born and yet it isn't equipped for survival outside the mother's womb.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30But I'm glad to say with the help of the research of many people,
0:04:30 > 0:04:34including those associated with Tiny Life over the last 25 years,
0:04:34 > 0:04:38this isn't quite the problem that it was those decades ago.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43TinyLife's services are offered free of charge to families
0:04:43 > 0:04:46who've spent time in neo-natal care,
0:04:46 > 0:04:50so the charity relies heavily on the public's support.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53If you'd like to donate to TinyLife or volunteer for them,
0:04:53 > 0:04:57you'd be making a huge contribution to a baby's future.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59Thank you.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02And if you'd like to make a donation to TinyLife
0:05:02 > 0:05:05you can visit our website and click on the "Donate" button.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Or send a cheque or postal order
0:05:08 > 0:05:10made out to TinyLife to:
0:05:17 > 0:05:22And if you'd like to find out more information about volunteering for TinyLife,
0:05:22 > 0:05:24you can e-mail them at:
0:05:27 > 0:05:30Or call the family support team on:
0:05:36 > 0:05:37Now here at Titanic Belfast,
0:05:37 > 0:05:42I'm at one of the biggest lifestyle conferences for people living with MS.
0:05:42 > 0:05:47And I'm joined now by the Chief Executive of the MS Society, Patricia Gordon.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49Patricia, tell us a little bit about the disease.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52Why is there a greater incidence of it here in Northern Ireland?
0:05:52 > 0:05:55We don't really know the exact cause,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58but we think it might be down to genetic and environmental factors.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01We do know that the further you live away from the equator
0:06:01 > 0:06:03the more likely you are to have MS.
0:06:03 > 0:06:08And you're spending some ?20 million on research at the moment.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11Are we any closer to a cure, do you think?
0:06:11 > 0:06:14I think it's some time off before a cure will be available,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18but what we're focusing on is increasing the range of treatments that are available for people.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21If you have relapsing or remitting MS there are a number of treatments
0:06:21 > 0:06:26and at the moment we're hopeful that there will be an additional four drugs available to people.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29Thanks, Patricia, for your time today.
0:06:29 > 0:06:30Now, I'm also joined by Catherine Doran,
0:06:30 > 0:06:34a wonderful example of someone living with MS.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37How does it impact on your life, Catherine, and the wider family?
0:06:37 > 0:06:39We didn't let it stop us having a family for a start.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42We've got two gorgeous daughters and I'm so glad I've done that.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46But my family definitely do help out more than perhaps they would for someone of my age group.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48My aunt and my mum both help out,
0:06:48 > 0:06:52my husband does his fair share around the house, but that's no bad thing either.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54And research is moving on at a pace.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56Do you feel it's moving quickly enough?
0:06:56 > 0:06:59Are you hopeful for new treatments or even a cure?
0:06:59 > 0:07:00The research is fantastic.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03In the four years I've been diagnosed it's moved so quickly.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06I would like to think that in my lifetime there'll be a cure.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09And I will always hope that's the case with research money there.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13There's fantastic work being done. I do believe that will happen.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15Thanks so much, Catherine, for joining us.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Now, from a very busy Titanic Quarter
0:07:18 > 0:07:21let's take a look at our Community Noticeboard.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24And it's devoted today to the Sing for Life Choir,
0:07:24 > 0:07:27which is celebrating its first birthday.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Made up of people affected by cancer
0:07:29 > 0:07:33the search is on for anyone who might like to join them.
0:07:39 > 0:07:46# For the beauty of each hour
0:07:46 > 0:07:52# Of the day and of the night
0:07:52 > 0:07:59# Hill and vale and tree and flower Hill and vale and tree and flower
0:07:59 > 0:08:02# Sun and moon and stars of light
0:08:02 > 0:08:05# Sun and moon and stars of light
0:08:05 > 0:08:08# Lord of all... #
0:08:08 > 0:08:09Some of the people in the choir
0:08:09 > 0:08:12are telling me it's improved their quality of life.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14One gentleman said he was a recluse
0:08:14 > 0:08:19and this has given him a whole new sense of living again.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22It's very friendly and you don't have to talk about yourself
0:08:22 > 0:08:24in detail if you don't want to,
0:08:24 > 0:08:27but people are free to talk about themselves.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30And it's just nice to be able to share if you want
0:08:30 > 0:08:31or just be around people.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33I have six-monthly scans
0:08:33 > 0:08:36and when I get my six-monthly scan and find that it's all clear,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39I tell people and everybody's really pleased for you.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43It's a great sort of experience. It really is good.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46To find out more about joining the choir contact:
0:08:51 > 0:08:53Or e-mail:
0:08:57 > 0:09:04# This our joyful hymn of praise. #
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Wow! Inspirational stuff.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10And you can, of course, hear more from the choir on our website.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13But for now that's it. Thanks for watching. Take care. Bye-bye.