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IMMEDIATE: Friday 31st October, 2014
Mother distraught to hear one son is obese while other is malnourished on ‘Doctor in the House’.
The fourth episode follows the Mills family. Both Sinead and Jason are long-term smokers and they smoke in the house while the two boys are at home.
Sinead is concerned about the boys’ diet not being healthy enough but she is not prepared for the shocking news that one son is obese while the other is suffering from malnutrition.
The ‘Doctor in the House’ team includes Dr. Nina Byrnes, Dr. Sinead Beirne and Professor Niall Moyna.
‘Doctor in the House’ episode 4 airs Monday 3rd November at 9pm on TV3.
Interviews are available on request.
This brand new series aims to get households across Ireland thinking about their lifestyle and way of life. Doctor in the House, produced by Independent Pictures in conjunction with the BAI, will demonstrate how households can drastically alter their long term health for the better by introducing a number of changes to their everyday life.
A team of doctors and medical professionals assess a different household each week and identify risks and problem areas that are having a serious and in some cases detrimental effect on their health. Following a rigorous assessment, the household will receive “doctors’ orders” which will involve them following an eight-week programme as recommended by the medical team. It’s up to them to stick to the doctors’ orders but the doctors will be ‘on call’ should they need a helping hand along the way. Doctor in the House focuses on the connections between everyday life - habits and behaviours - and how they directly relate to potential health problems – big and small, but all vital to quality of life. The format trades on the idea of doctors being able to gain a much greater insight into a patient’s lifestyle, eating and exercise habits, in the comfort and intimacy of their own home.
In Episode 4, we meet Sinead Mills, her partner Jason Mooney, and her two sons, 13-year-old Callum and 12-year-old Daragh, from Tallaght. Sinead juggles her full time nursing studies with being mum to her two boys. Both Sinead and
Jason are long-term smokers and they smoke in the house while the two boys are at home. Sinead is concerned about the boys’ diet not being healthy enough and knows that the whole family needs to get off the sofa and exercise.
In come the doctors to stalk, screen and assess them. During Dr. Niall Moyna’s fitness bleep test, mum Sinead is brought to tears watching her son Callum’s struggle to keep up with his brother Daragh: “I felt bad for Callum. I could see he was very conscious.”
At the end of the week, the family arrives at the Consultation Room to hear their results. Sinead is distraught to hear that Callum is obese, while Daragh is suffering from malnutrition, with a dangerously low vitamin D level.
Dr. Nina Byrnes reveals the shocking blood test results for their youngest son, Daragh: “Daragh’s vitamin D was less than 20, which is dangerously low. We don’t know how long his vitamin D has been that low so have his bones been growing healthy? Is some of the change in his legs related to poor nutrition? Rickets is particularly associated with low levels of vitamin D. But I guess what I have to say is Daragh is suffering from malnutrition and if it doesn’t change he’s going to suffer diseases due to that.
Daragh’s mother, Sinead, reacts to Dr. Byrnes’ results: “Firstly I felt like they were saying I was starving Daragh. I felt like a bad mother.”
The whole family is ordered to complete an exercise plan, eat healthily and Sinead and Jason are told to quit smoking.
At the end of the 8 weeks the family is re-tested, but will the changes they’ve made be reflected in their results?
‘Doctor in the House’ episode 4 airs Monday 3rd November at 9pm on TV3.
See ‘Notes to Editor’ for Doctor biogs.
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Notes to Editor
About Dr.Nina Byrnes
Dr. Nina Byrnes graduated third in her class with an Honours Medical Degree from Trinity College Dublin. She undertook postgraduate training in hospital medicine in Ireland, the USA and Australia including time in the prestigious Cleveland Clinic Ohio. Having worked in a large range of medical specialties she realised her interest lay in Primary Care and Preventive Medicine. She obtained her Membership of the Irish College of General Practitioners in 2004 and is on the Specialist Register of the Irish Medical Council.
Nina's work encompasses all areas of general family practice but her special interests are cardiovascular and preventive health, women's health and lifestyle medicine. She is known for her ability to break down medical jargon and her empathetic straight talking approach.
In addition to working full time as a GP, Nina also appeared on our TV screens as co-presenter on the popular series "Health of the Nation" on RTÉ. She has contributed to radio shows on several local and national stations and is a published author with 'Your Health Matters'.
About Dr.Sinead Beirne
Dr. Sinead Beirne graduated in Medicine with an Honours Medical Degree from University College Dublin and completed her internship in St. Vincent’s University Hospital and St. Collumcille’s Hospital, Dublin. She then trained as a GP in Ireland, working in many areas of family medicine including pediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry and general medicine.
Sinead is interested in preventative medicine and sexual health having worked with the Irish Family Planning Association and health screening as well as conducting research for the Irish College of General Practitioners.
She is best known to Irish viewers through her regular appearances as the resident GP and medical expert on TV3’s Ireland AM. She also contributes to national radio programmes and writes a weekly column in The Sunday Business Post and contributes to Irish Parent and Woman’s Way magazines.
About Prof. Niall Moyna
Professor Niall Moyna is a Professor in the School of Health and Human Performance and a member of the Centre for Preventive Medicine in DCU. He received his masters degree from Purdue University, Indiana, USA and Ph.D from the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He completed a three year National Institute of Health Post Doctoral Research Fellowship in immunology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
He is the leading expert on preventive medicine and an energetic and passionate campaigner of health screening and exercise.
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