Grace Kavanagh Email & Phone Number

I am currently a blogger and a contributor with MS Ireland’s “MS and Me” blog team. I write about my life with MS - how I cope, manage and survive with an ever changing disease. My aim for my blog is firstly to be therapeutic for me and also to pass on some of my learnings to others with MS. This journey is not an easy one so if I can save another person the time, effort and pain I had to expend to come up with solutions then I’m happy.I have lots of IT skills and experience through education and working. I have a BSc and MSc in computing along with a post-graduate diploma in digital marketing.Post diagnosis I retrained as an adult tutor and have worked and volunteered teaching adult learners how to use IT in their working and everyday lives. Often working with vulnerable adults.During my MS journey I have tried several MS drugs as my disease has changed and progressed, including daily self injection, monthly hospital infusions and drug therapy. I have had the benefit of an excellent care team in St James’ hospital so have interacted with many disciplines including physiotherapy, psychotherapy, social work and occupational therapy. I had some opportunities to work with my care team in SJH in a fundraising capacity. This included creating brochures and posters along with giving talks and demonstrations for the physiotherapy department. These opportunities were rewarding and fun and gave me a small way to express my gratitude to the team.I have tried many Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFO) devices and walking aids, from sticks to rollators. However I am excited by what the future and technology holds and as such have tried various Functional Electronic Stimulation (FES) devices to aid mobility in MS. I currently use the Bioness L300 device to help with my foot drop and also their thigh device for walking. I assisted in demonstrations of the device both in MS Ireland and in St James’ hospital. I am always on the lookout for what is next. I hope that I will eventually have an IronMan suit or even better - a cure for MS!

Listed skills include Digital Marketing, Html, Software Development, Web Design, and 5 others.