PURE POETRY

THE winner of 'Unforgettable Memories', a GP writing competition sponsored by Pfizer Neuroscience, was Dr Garrett Igoe, of Virginia, Co Cavan. He took first place for his entry on his schoolday memories entitled 'Unforgettable Memories'.

The challenge presented to GPs was to write a short narrative based on their favourite memory in one of five categories: first patient, schooldays, holidays, embarrassing moment or first romance.

The 'Unforgettable Memories' competition - along with the launch of the 'Guide to Understanding Alzheimer's Disease' - are part of an ongoing awareness campaign to create a better understanding of the early symptoms of AD and highlight the importance of early diagnosis, among the general public and GPs.

According to the judges, the standard of entry was excellent, making their decisions very difficult. Here is the winning entry. Judge for yourself:

Schoolday Memories

As I walked into school that very first morning he gazed down kindly and simply said 'Good luck son'.

Ten years in Terenure, memories fade but return.

Smell of wintergreen in the pavilions, cup song practice in the crush hall, cycling to Donnybrook and

Lansdowne for the matches, scour hikes to Larch Hill and Masseys, borders errands and theatre nights with Hamlet.

Wins, defeats, tears and joy, formative years that shape a character, his time generously given.

Decades later in the Mater Hospital, he was a patient and I the junior doctor.

When our eyes met I remembered his words…

'Good luck son'.

...By Dr Garrett Igoe

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