Remembering thalidomide survivor Jacqui Browne: ‘She raised the bar for us every day of our lives'
Some of the words used to describe
Jacqui Browne, who died peacefully at home on Monday, June 23rd
, surrounded by her loving family. She was 63.
Born in
Tralee
to Donal and Jean (née Boursin), Jacqui was one of five children and part of a loving, tight-knit family. Recalling her birth, her brother Donal J Browne said he could feel the palpable excitement and joy at this little bundle coming into our lives. 'She certainly raised the bar for us every day of our lives.'
She was also one of thousands of babies affected by the
thalidomide
drug.
READ MORE
Thalidomide was prescribed to pregnant women in the 1950s and 1960s as a treatment for morning sickness. One of the worst medical disasters of our time, it led to horrific deformities and deaths in thousands of babies across the world. Many children of women who took the drug in pregnancy were born without limbs or with shortened limbs, hearing and vision impairments, and injuries to internal organs.
Browne was born in November 1961, the same year and month that thalidomide was withdrawn from global markets. However, it would be nine months later, in 1962, when the drug was removed from the Irish market. There is also evidence to suggest that thalidomide was available in Ireland up to 1964 due to the State's failure to publicly announce the withdrawal of the drug. There are approximately 40 thalidomide survivors in Ireland, 28 of whom receive an ex gratia payment from the government.
Born with impaired hands and forearms, Browne also suffered from bilateral hearing loss and a speech impairment. Her early childhood was taken up with tests and medical assessments. At the age of just five, she had the first of many surgeries on her hands, and orthopaedic procedures like these were to continue throughout her life.
She was just five years old when she had to spend a year as a boarder at the Cabra School for the Deaf in Dublin, a long way from her family in Kerry.
Speaking to The Irish Times last year,
she said: 'It was my first big separation from my family. I am one of five children. So that had a big impact on me... but also on my siblings and obviously my parents. I wasn't there for the day-to-day rough and tumble of daily life.'
After a year in Dublin, she returned to mainstream school in Kerry, where she remembers being treated 'very differently' from other children.
[
'A woman of conviction and compassion': Tributes paid to disability activist Jacqui Browne at funeral Mass
Opens in new window
]
Her early childhood, adolescence and indeed adult life were frequently interrupted by hospitalisations, medical interventions and numerous surgeries. In total, she had more than 35 big operations. These include 10 total hip replacement and reconstruction surgeries, spinal surgery, oral and dental procedures, cuff repair in her shoulder, left shoulder decompression procedures, shoulder replacements, cervical fusion and numerous surgeries on her feet and hands.
Despite living with chronic pain throughout her life, she had a warm heart and a wide, infectious smile, and simply got on with things and found new ways to overcome the many challenges life threw at her. Like the time she was in a full body cast as a teenager and strapped her two crutches to the side of a Honda 50 to keep up with her friends. Despite breaking her hip during a boat race, she continued up the steep jetty, carrying the boat out of the water. And when she was advised by her orthopaedic surgeon to give up her beloved sailing or risk needing a wheelchair, she sailed across the Atlantic Ocean.
A highly accomplished sailor, Browne was a long-time member and public relations officer of Tralee Bay Sailing Club. In 2010, she was a crew member aboard the Cork Clipper, Ireland's entry in the Clipper Round the World race.
Jacqui Browne, who died at 63
On leaving school, she worked for AIB for many years before returning to university to study at night. She received a BA in Economics and Politics from University College Dublin and a Master's in Education from Trinity College Dublin.
Browne had a keen intellect and dedicated her life to advocating for the
disability sector
. With more than 35 years of experience as a disability equality consultant, she worked at local, national, European, and international levels. She served as chair of the DPO Network – an alliance of five national organisations of disabled people working together to secure the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. She was a member of the disability advisory committee of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC), the board of International Foundation Integrated Care and secretary of the board of the Independent Living Movement of Ireland. She was also a former member of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities (1993-96), whose report, A Strategy for Equality, was a blueprint for disability rights in Ireland.
A dedicated patient advocate, Browne was actively involved as a patient advocate and representative with a range of organisations, including the Centre for Arthritis Research in UC , the Irish Platform for Patient Organisations, Science and Industry; and the HSE Board Committee on Patient Safety and Quality.
Most of all, I loved her mischievous sense of fun and her absolute loyalty to friends and family
—
Dr Austin O Carroll
In a statement expressing its deep sadness on her death, the IHREC said the commission had 'benefited hugely from her wealth and depth of over 30 years of experience as a disability equality activist and consultant. Her work was impactful and led to lasting change for disabled people in Ireland'.
Liam Herrick, chief commissioner, said, 'Jacqui Browne was a courageous and tireless advocate for disability rights and equality. Her voice, wisdom and commitment shaped not only the work of this commission but also the broader landscape of human rights in Ireland. She brought lived experience, a deep understanding of policy, and a powerful clarity to every conversation. Her contributions advanced and shaped real and lasting progress for disabled people, and her legacy will continue to inspire and guide us.'
One of her lifelong friends and fellow thalidomide survivor,
Dr Austin O Carroll
, remembers her as 'relentless, passionate, persuasive and unstoppable in her pursuit of justice'.
'I saw how she supported so many other groups facing exclusion, sharing her experience of advocating for justice. I saw the joy she got from sailing and the irrepressible determination to conquer the oceans despite her disability. I saw so many times in hospital beds unbowed by pain and immobility, but cracking jokes, and planning her next holiday. But most of all, I loved her mischievous sense of fun and her absolute loyalty to friends and family.'
When Browne was 21, her father handed her a large folder filled with correspondence, medical records, forms, detailed notes, and meticulously kept files. He was not simply giving her a paper file; he was handing over the baton in the fight for justice for his daughter, which he had fought for 21 years.
[
Thalidomide survivors' group demands proper apology from Government
Opens in new window
]
Together with the thalidomide community, Browne fought for decades for justice and a meaningful State apology for the immense toll thalidomide had had on their lives.
After 63 years, Irish thalidomide survivors are still waiting.
Speaking to The Irish Times last year Browne said: 'For me personally, if I could have closure, it would mean I can genuinely take this big cloud off from over my head.'
Speaking at her funeral in Tralee, her brother Donal said: 'Today is not a day to criticise the government for its failures to the thalidomide community. It is not a day to criticise them for their failure to withdraw the drug in a timely manner, and it's not a day to criticise them for their failure to apologise or to make any acknowledgment of wrongdoing. Those are matters that will have to be dealt with at another time, and unfortunately, Jacqui's crusade of more than 40 years and my parents' crusade of over 63 years will have to continue and will continue on behalf of the thalidomide survivors.'
He called on the Government to issue 'an apology and an acknowledgment' to thalidomide survivors and said that a healthcare package was 'urgently required'.
'We must all work together for truth and justice,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Irish Times
Patient had to wait 169 days for ‘urgent' appointment at Mater Hospital breast cancer clinic
Almost one in four women who require an 'urgent' appointment at a breast cancer clinic are not seen within the target timeframe, new figures show. On Wednesday, the Irish Cancer Society published new data showing delays in access to testing and treatment of cancer in the State. The urgent symptomatic breast disease clinics aim to see 95 per cent of patients within 10 working days. However, between March 2024 and February 2025, only 76.3 per cent of patients received their appointment within this recommended timeframe. There was also significant variation between hospitals. The lowest compliance was found at the Mater Hospital in Dublin , with just 28.9 per cent of patients seen in this time, followed by St James's Hospital at 54.5 per cent and Letterkenny University Hospital, Co Donegal , at 59.8 per cent. READ MORE Some hospitals had very high compliance, with University Hospital Waterford seeing 100 per cent of patients within the target timeframe, followed by Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, at 99.7 per cent, and University Hospital Limerick at 97.7 per cent. According to the data, the longest waiting time in the 11 months up to February 2025 was found in the Mater Hospital, where one patient waited for 169 days. A spokeswoman for the Mater Hospital said its mammography service is facing 'significant capacity constraints due to high demand and a lack of funding'. 'The hospital has submitted a comprehensive business case requesting additional staffing and resources to support the demands on the service and to reduce any delays, including in surveillance mammography,' the spokeswoman said. The Irish Cancer Society data also provided insights into Rapid Access Prostate Clinics, which have a target timeframe of seeing 90 per cent of patients within 20 working days. Nationally, between March 2024 and February 2025, only 74.2 per cent of patients received their appointment within this recommended timeframe. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in men. If it is diagnosed at stage one, almost all men will survive. If diagnosed at stage four, only half survive. The lowest target timeframe compliance was found at Galway University Hospital where 12.7 per cent of patients received their appointment within the timeframe, followed by St Vincent's Hospital at 74.4 per cent and Cork University Hospital at 82.8 per cent. The highest compliance was found at Beaumont Hospital (100 per cent), followed by the Mater Hospital (99.4 per cent) and St James's Hospital (95.9 per cent). Timely access to the Rapid Access Lung Clinic was better, with 93.7 per cent of patients accessing their first appointment within the target time of 10 working days. Averil Power, chief executive of the Irish Cancer Society, said early treatment 'dramatically reduces your risk of dying from cancer'. The figures highlight 'alarming failures' to meet the targets in many cancer centres due to shortages of 'staff, physical space and equipment'. She added that the society increasingly hears that, while appointments are being provided within the timeline, in some cases all diagnostic testing is not conducted that day, meaning there can be delays to diagnosis. [ Irish Cancer Society calls for breast cancer screening to be lowered to 45 Opens in new window ] Dr Michael McCarthy, president of the Irish Society of Medical Oncology, and consultant medical oncologist at University Hospital Galway, said he sees the 'human cost of the postcode lottery in Irish cancer care every day'. 'Once chemotherapy is prescribed, the National Cancer Strategy states that it should start within 15 working days. The reality in Galway is that patients are now typically waiting seven to eight weeks for their first session,' he said. 'With every week that passes, the risk increases that their cancer will grow, or worse that it will spread to other parts of their body.' A HSE spokeswoman said cancer survival is improving. Rising referrals and increasing complexity of care 'are placing significant demand on existing services, as evidenced by performance data of some cancer services'. She said €20 million has been allocated for new cancer services in 2025 and 2026.
Irish Times
11 hours ago
- Irish Times
More than 100 calls over suspected mushroom poisoning made to Irish helpline
More than 100 calls were made to the National Poisons Information Centre (NPIC) over suspected mushroom poisoning during the past two years. There were 45 calls relating to 40 cases made in 2024 and 57 calls relating to 51 cases in 2023. Half of the 51 cases in 2023 were asymptomatic when the NPIC was contacted. Of those who showed symptoms, they had repeated vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal pain and fever. A spokesperson for the NPIC at Beaumont Hospital said autumn is the most common period for mushroom calls, with a 'peak' occurring in October. READ MORE The world's most toxic mushrooms, amanita phalloides, have been in the news recently. On Monday, an Australian woman was found guilty of murdering three of her estranged husband's relatives by deliberately serving them the poisonous mushrooms for lunch. In 2023, Erin Patterson served her husband's family beef wellingtons that were later found to have contained amanita phalloides, commonly known as death cap mushrooms. These can cause kidney and liver failure hours after consumption. [ Death cap mushrooms: Are they in Ireland and how do you spot them? Opens in new window ] Bill O'Dea, who studied fungi at University College Dublin and now runs wild mushrooms 'hunts' in Ireland, said death cap mushrooms are fairly common across the country, with 'loads around Wicklow'. He noted they typically have white gills, which are the thin structures on the underside of the mushroom's cap. They also have a white stem with a ring on it. 'There are thousands of mushrooms in Ireland – up to 15,000. Of those, there [are] probably 50 that are poisonous, but of those probably eight of them are deadly,' he said. [ Death cap mushrooms: Are they in Ireland and how do you spot them? Opens in new window ] Other toxic mushrooms in Ireland include the destroying angel, the deadly webcap and the false morel, he said. The NPIC said it is 'easy to confuse edible and toxic mushroom species', while getting a mushroom's identification wrong 'can have serious health consequences'. The NPIC take calls from members of the public from 8am to 7pm each day.
Irish Times
19 hours ago
- Irish Times
New Positive Carbon food waste system targets hospital bills
A new Irish-built system intended to deal with the problem of food waste in Irish hospitals has been officially launched by Positive Carbon. The company is working with the HSE to bring its Scrappy real-time food waste monitoring to commercial and healthcare kitchens, targeting a food waste bill for Ireland's healthcare sector that is estimated to be almost €12 million each year. The system uses advanced AI that detects, categorise, and measure food waste as it occurs. That allows organisations to tracking what is wasted and why, leading to smarter purchasing and production decisions and changing how food waste is managed. 'Scrappy gives chefs visibility they've never had before and transforms that insight into real-time action.' said Mark Kirwan, CEO of Positive Carbon. 'We're proud to be working with the HSE and determined to support more hospitals to prevent thousands of euros going into the bin.' READ MORE The HSE joins organisations such as Aramark, Gather and Gather, and Levy Ireland in using the technology, which can lead to significant cost savings and enhance sustainability. The system is already in place at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, where it contributed to a 33 per cent reduction in food waste and saved more than €90,000 last year. 'We need the technology to support us; it is frightening to see that we could have lost a further €92,000 if we hadn't been able to take action,' said Sharon Gallaghar, head of catering at the hospital. 'We've made huge progress, but this needs to continue if we are to meet our national targets by 2030.' The potential reduction in food waste from the use of Scrappy is in line with the goals of the HSE Climate Action Strategy 2023 – 2050, which calls for significant emissions and waste reductions across Irish healthcare. 'Reducing food waste is crucial and Positive Carbon's collaboration with Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda proves our healthcare services can achieve impressive economic and sustainability results,' Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll Mac Neill said. 'I eagerly anticipate more innovative partnerships like this in the health sector.' Established by Aisling and Mark Kirwan in 2020, Positive Carbon's technology has also been used by the Dalata Hotel Group and Radisson Blu.
