The 2021 Blarney Person of the Year awards made all national media including the Irish Examiner where Eoin English wrote “A brave mother who moved the nation to tears with an emotional plea for urgent scoliosis surgery for her son has been honoured by her community. Christine Terry, from Whitechurch, near Blarney in Cork, has been named the 2021 Blarney and District Person of the Year for speaking out on behalf of her son, Adam, aged 10, last year. An intensely private couple, Christine and her husband, Mark, decided to speak publicly last October about Adam’s agonising four-year wait for scoliosis surgery after his scheduled surgery had been repeatedly delayed since August 2019, during which time his condition worsened, and his pain had become more excruciating. Their story, broadcast by RTÉ reporter Brian O’Connell on the Today with Claire Byrne show on budget day last October, moved people to tears. Adam described his pain as “almost paralysing” and told listeners he feels as though he is “at the bottom of the barrel”. She said she wasn’t just speaking out for her son but also for parents of the estimated 2,775 children awaiting in-patient treatment at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. Adam’s story was raised in the Dáil and it focused political attention not just on his plight, but on almost 800 children like him awaiting urgent scoliosis surgery. Adam underwent his surgery within a few weeks of going public, and spent much of Christmas in and out of hospital. He is now at home and recovering well. Ms Terry was among a dozen monthly award winners and while the nominees come from many different backgrounds, including sport, the arts voluntary and community work, business the environment, they all had one thing in common. “Through their lives and achievements each and every one of them has excelled in their own special way and have made immense contributions to the local community. In that regard, they are all winners,” the organisers Kate Durrant, Damian Boylan and John Henchion said. Charlie Lynch, the key figure in the running of the Blarney Community Games throughout the 1970s and 1980s, was inaugurated into the Hall of Fame. Conor Coleman was presented with a special ‘Future of Blarney’ award for his work with and commitment to Blarney GAA and Blarney Tidy Towns.
