Vera Twomey is currently walking from Mallow to the Dail.
She's doing this to highlight the lack of legislation for medicinal cannabis in this country.
Vera’s daughter Ava suffers from Dravet Syndrome which causes life threatening seizures.
Ava can suffer from up to 20 seizures a day which can vary in length but can be extremely severe.
Ava has been taking cannabis oil, which is legally-sourced from a shop in Dublin, since last October however a stronger version is needed.
Day 2 Kildorriey Co Cork pic.twitter.com/2aRh0prD3T
— Gino Kenny TD (@Ginosocialist) March 1, 2017
Vera had made an application to government to be allowed access to medicinal cannabis however last week the Health Minister denied access to this treatment on compassionate grounds.
This is the fourth time her application has been denied.
At present the only way to access CBD, the cannabis based oil Vera is looking to get access to, is to smuggle it into the country.
CBD oil costs around €300 a month.
Vera released a video of Ava last week having seizures and on meeting with Minister Harris last week he said he had watched the video, admitting it was “difficult to watch”.
According to current rules you need a paediatric neurologist who would sign off on the use of such products for her.
Their neurologist is not able to prescribe the medicine.
People have sent messages offering to help pay to send Ava abroad to get access to the medication, but Twomey said she didn’t want money and would rather people emailed Simon Harris to ask him to change the laws in this matter.
Vera says other countries like Australia, Canada and parts of the US have legalised the substance however Vera says, "We have a beautiful home here, there's no justification to pick a little girl up and live in another country where there's a lack family and people who love her.
The government is supposed to be here to help us, I'm walking to Dublin and I can't turn around. I want to go home, I don't want to be out on the road like this in public. I would rather have resolved this quietly and privately."
Vera is asking people to send an email to their local politician asking them to stand up in the Dáil and ask for help for Ava and others like her who Vera says would benefit from the legalisation of CBD oil.
Vera joined Dermot & Dave for an emotional chat about her journey so far, you can listen to it in full here:
