The Cavan woman who chained herself to the railings of a HSE building yesterday has ended her protest. Marilyn O'Connor, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease two years ago was protesting for a better care package from the HSE. Yesterday, 57-year-old Marilyn, told the Joe Finnegan Show of her plight just as she was making her way to chain herself to the HSE's St Davnet's Campus in Monaghan.
She explained how her condition means she has lost the use of her legs and arms and cannot live an independent life without round the clock care. However, when a member of agency staff left their job, Marilyn was left without a carer three nights a week. In the meantime, Marilyn has spent 7 thousand, 500 euro of her own money, that she had set aside to pay for her funeral, on private care.
Today, in a story that shows the power of the human spirit and local radio, she told the Joe Finnegan Show the HSE contacted her immediately after she appeared on Shannonside / Northern Sound and "miraculously" sorted out additional care. Marilyn, however, says the result does not give her any pleasure. "I have to say I got no joy out of doing what I did yesterday," Marilyn told Northern Sound, "Now do I feel victorious. It's a shame and a disgrace that I had to do that. But, I got to Monaghan and I chained myself to the railings and I then got a phone call from the HSE who miraculously were able to, then and there, sort out my care."
