Campaign calls for resources to aid early diagnosis of rare diseases

Vicky McGrath, CEO of Rare Diseases Ireland; Patricia Towey of the Huntington’s Disease Association of Ireland; and Fianna Fáil TD Pádraig O’Sullivan as Rare Diseases Ireland (RDI) launched a new national campaign, Get Rare Aware. Picture: Shane O'Neill

A woman whose husband and son were both diagnosed with a rare disease has called for joined-up thinking across health services to ensure better access to diagnostics. 

Julie Sweeney, living in Mallow, Co Cork, said her husband’s hip was like an 80-year-old’s and that if he had been given proper diagnostic testing, it could have helped with a condition their son also developed.