Supporting families: SCIC 3rd Relatives' Day of the year

Rebecca Mannion and Aileen Leonard, RNOH Patient Educators, were proud to host their third Relatives' Day of 2026 on last Saturday at the Spinal Cord Injury Centre (SCIC).

This dedicated event is designed to provide families with guidance, mentorship, and a deeper understanding of the day-to-day challenges their loved ones may face, while crucially also creating a welcoming space for relatives to build a strong peer support network with one another and individuals with lived experience.

In addition to valuable support from the Back-Up charity, attendees had the opportunity to participate in hands-on learning sessions.

The wheelchair skills and equipment session, relatives experienced practical, hands-on training with patient equipment through fun and interactive learning.
The participant feedback was fantastic with attendees sharing glowing remarks, noting that, “it was great to experience using the wheelchair and understanding how to use it.”

The team extend a special thanks and their sincere gratitude to Clare Casey (Occupational Therapist) and Halim Ahmed (Rehab Assistant) for their invaluable support in delivering the wheelchair session.

The day concluded on a high note with tea and cake in Horatio’s Garden where patients, relatives, and those with lived experience gathered together to relax and connect in a beautiful setting. 

A massive thank you goes out to Horatio’s Garden for allowing the team to host this memorable and successful event.