There was a great crowd at the Embrace Farm Accident Survivors Conference was held in Portlaoise last Saturday.
It was well attended by farm accident survivors, their families, friends and neighbours.
Organisations represented included the Irish Farmers Association, Macra Na Feirme, Deptartment of Agri & Food, MABS, AIB and Bank of Ireland, Chronic Pain Ireland, Mental Health Ireland and the National Rehabilitation Hospital.
The group were disappointed that none of the local politicians were present.
Survivors and witnesses to farm accidents got their first opportunity to share how their lives have been changed since their accident and how they have adjusted to living in the months and years since their injuries.
Francie Gorman, Ballinakill, Chairman Laois IFA, James Healy, National President of Macra Na Feirme, Emma Birchall, Queen of the Land with Brian and Norma Rohan, Mountrath, Co. Laois were all present.
Embrace FARM was founded by Brian Rohan and his wife Norma, a farming family from Shanahoe, Co. Laois, in 2014 to provide a bereavement support group for farm families who, like them, have lost a loved one or, indeed, suffered serious injury in a farming accident.
Brian’s father Liam lost his life as a result of such an accident, which took place on the family farm on June 19th 2012. Rather than just accept the fate that he and his family were delivered, he, together with his wife Norma, founded Embrace FARM in Liam’s memory.
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