Speaking to Nursing in Practice Ireland (NiPI), Jessica Byrne, a final-year nursing student at Trinity College Dublin, described how her own lived experience of haemochromatosis inspired her to create and launch a podcast in collaboration with the Irish Haemochromatosis Association (IHA). The podcast, ‘Haemochromatosis – Let’s Iron It Out’, is available on Spotify and aims to raise awareness of the condition, promote early diagnosis, and make evidence-based information more accessible to patients.
When Jessica herself was diagnosed, she found it difficult to access reliable information, and that experience ultimately led to the idea for the podcast. “I was diagnosed with haemochromatosis in 2021, when I was just 16 years old,” she told NiPI.
“That is a very young age to find out, particularly as many women are not diagnosed until much later in life. Because of this, I found it difficult to access information about how to navigate certain areas of my life with the condition. Also, as a student nurse, patient education is hugely important to me.
“There is no point promoting early diagnosis if information about the condition is not easily accessible. That is what brought us to this podcast… Haemochromatosis can be managed very effectively and does not have to dramatically impact a person’s life. However, I understand that any diagnosis can feel daunting. I hope that hearing other people’s experiences, particularly for younger people, can make a diagnosis feel less frightening. The earlier the condition is identified, the easier it is to manage.”
Each episode of the podcast focuses on a different aspect of haemochromatosis, such as treatment options, dietary advice, and the experiences of people living with the condition. The series also hosts a range of clinical expert guest speakers, including Prof Frank Murray, Consultant Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist, Beaumont Private Clinic and Bon Secours Hospital, Dublin, and Registered Dietitian, Sarah Keogh. One episode that is particularly special to Jessica features her father. She has been working on the podcast for around two years and, following a brief pause during her exams, plans to release the remaining episodes by the end of the year.
The IHA has supported the project by producing a new batch of flyers featuring a QR code linking directly to the podcast. The flyers are now available in every major hospital in Ireland, as well as in some GP surgeries in Dublin and Kildare, making the podcast easily accessible to patients and healthcare professionals.
“I am super excited that it is finally coming to life,” Jessica concluded. “I am really proud of all the work that everyone involved has put into it. I’m trying to get this podcast into the community, and any support would be greatly appreciated.”
‘Haemochromatosis – Let’s Iron It Out’ is available to listen to on Spotify. Jessica can be contacted at byrnej71@tcd.ie.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.