The recent heatwave in Northern Ireland, which saw temperatures provisionally reach 30C in Castlederg, County Tyrone, is presenting significant challenges for individuals with chronic health conditions. Heatwave conditions were met on Wednesday after 25C was recorded for three consecutive days, a threshold defined by the Met Office.
Brian Shields, who lives with multiple sclerosis (MS), described how the high temperatures, which he once enjoyed, now severely affect his ability to move. MS is a condition affecting the brain and spinal cord, leading to symptoms such as extreme fatigue, vision problems, and muscle cramps, according to the NHS.
Shields explained that the heat forces him to remain in a cool room or in the shade to prevent his muscles from weakening to the point where he cannot lift his limbs. "Before my diagnosis, in weather like this I would have been sitting out sunbathing," Shields said. "But now I have to be in the shade, in a cool room, because otherwise the heat really affects my muscles. It would mean I wouldn't be able to lift my arms or lift my legs or do anything, you're just there, but that's just the heat that does it, so I just stay out of it."