PAINT OUT in Yvonne Cullen Miller's Garden in Aid of MND

In late 2014 my wonderful mother as an active 80 year old, found herself unable to pull weeds in her daily gardening. This steadily deteriorated and led to a loss of power in her hand and arm, despite huge efforts on her part to overcome it and restore her former vigour and strength. Some months later in August 2015 Motor Neurone Disease was diagnosed. She was an energetic, powerful and fiercely independent woman who had lived alone since the death of her beloved husband 30 years previously. Her approach to life was an inspiration to me and her values of hard work, keeping busy and being useful were among the many gifts she gave me. With the rapid progression of the disease, she quickly needed full time care but insisted on staying at home til the end, with much support from her family and carers. I was constantly amazed and overwhelmed at her continuing ability to accept new realities and how she resigned herself to each new loss. To honour her love of gardening and to remember her as we approach the first anniversary of her death last June, I am opening my garden on Sunday June 10th 2-6p.m. for Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association. I have spent this past year throwing myself into my garden, where I find a real connection with her, thinking about her and how she coped so admirably with her suffering and loss. Following her diagnosis, she determined to only deal with each day as it came and her light at the end of the tunnel would be running into my father’s arms again. What a lovely image! I miss her but nothing since her death has been as overwhelming as seeing her suffer and decline. So please join me on Sun Jun 10 ,a mile from the graveyard in Mayglass, Co Wexford, to share in the pleasure and healing a garden can bring in good times and bad. Yvonne Miller