Related Stories

• Easter racing a big hit in Cork Racecourse, Mallow
  
  
• Interesting heritage lecture in Mitchelstown
  
  
• Araglin Animal Sanctuary fights back with open day
  
  
• EirGrid publishes new draft strategy
  
  
• A difficult time for charity shops, including NCBI
  
  
• New Cycling Club in Killavullen
  
  
• Reappointment of Dr Pat Dillon at Moorepark
  
  
• Kilbehenny Tidy towns
  
  
• Strong local entries in Texaco Children’s Art Competition
  
  
• Sunday is open day at Atkins in Fermoy
  
  
• Galbally’s dog reaches the final again
  
  
• Mountain Meitheal South East proving their worth
  
  

Fermoy’s Brian Kidd, who is among 50 people worldwide in the running to travel to the island of Vorovoro as part of the This Is Your Life Change competition.

Fermoy’s Brian Kidd remains in the running to reach the island of Vorovoro as part of the This Is Your Life Change competition, as the judges have whittled down the entries to just 50. 

The 24-year-old is the only Irish person to have reached the semi-final stage, after a total of 3,237 people entered from all corners of the globe earlier this year.

Of the six people who will travel to the island of Vorovoro, a remote island in the Pacific ocean, three will be chosen by a team of judges, while three more will be selected via an online vote.

Once the finalists are chosen, they will travel to Vorovoro for two weeks in August, where they will be put through their paces by a life change coach, a personal trainer and a business coach. The idea of the competition is to change the lives of the finalists for the better, who will in turn set about making a positive change in the world.

“I’m looking for as much Irish support a possible,” Brian told The Avondhu. “We have to upload a video online, explaining more about or secret dream and what we want to achieve if we get selected. People can vote for it then.”

Each entry into the competition was asked to outline their ‘secret dream’, an idea they wish to implement should they make the This Is Your Life Change final.

Brian’s secret dream relates to setting up a charity to help those who have been affected by the Anti-D Scandal, which has affected thousands of people across the country, as well as those who are affected globally by hepatitis.

The Anti-D Scandal first came to light in February 1994, when the Blood Transfusion Service Board in Ireland announced that batches of the immunoglobulin treatment had been contaminated with jaundice and hepatitis.

Anti-D immunoglobulin, made from donated blood, was given to new mothers whose blood type was Rhesus Negative but who gave birth to Rhesus Positive babies.

It ensures that the mother does not produce antibodies that could attack a subsequent foetus. Before the treatment was invented such infants – often referred to as blue babies – were born in poor health.

It is estimated that around 1,200 nationally women were infected with hepatitis C after receiving Anti-D, and 77 women have died from the vaccination. Approximately €1 billion has been paid in damages and legal fees by the State.

“As a result, my mother now has hepatitis C and throughout the years I never felt I’ve thanked my mother enough for bringing me into this world, for bringing me up and giving me such a good life and no doubt there are thousands of people living throughout the world in the same situation as me, thinking the very same thing,” said Brian.

“I want to help those people who have not been shown enough support as they should have been, so my proposal is to create a charity for hepatitis sufferers, to not only help people in Ireland but to help people worldwide. Hopefully to make a difference, hopefully if we can come up with some cure to cure this horrible disease, because as of now I know there is no guaranteed cure.

“Fingers crossed that I’m able to make the difference that I want to make,” he added.

To see Brian’s video and vote for him, go to www.thisisyourlifechange.com/vote-for-brian-kidd

blog comments powered by Disqus