Tributes have been paid following the passing of Newry-born woman Leigh Gath – a well-known disability campaigner and survivor of Thalidomide.
The loving mother-of-two died unexpectedly at her home in Limerick on Saturday, July 27.
An outspoken advocate for those with disabilities, Leigh was born without arms or legs due to Thalidomide, a drug used in the late 1950s and early 1960s to treat nausea in pregnant women.
The drug was later found to have resulted in severe birth defects in thousands of children.
In her autobiography, ‘Don’t Tell Me I Can’t’, Leigh charted her personal journey of overcoming the challenges she faced in life due to her disability, including living through the Troubles and escaping married life to an alcoholic husband.
Through the work she engaged in, Leigh was appointed as the Health Service Executive (HSE) in Ireland’s first confidential recipient in 2014, a role that examined complaints relating to HSE services for people with disabilities.
The role, which she held until September 2022, was created following the Áras Attracta abuse scandal involving the treatment of residents at a centre for adults with intellectual disabilities.
In a statement, the CEO of the HSE in Ireland, Bernard Gloster said he was “very privileged” to know Leigh “professionally and personally” over the years.
“She achieved many great things and always for the benefit of others,” he said. “She gave a voice to many who otherwise were silent, and she challenged all professionals and organisations and Governments to think differently. Leigh was never defined by her own disability.
“When the serious work was done for a day, she was always great fun to bump into and would lift the mood of those who encountered her.
“To Eugene, Karl, and Aisling, we in the HSE as Leigh’s friends and former colleagues, extend our deepest sympathy.
“She was a unique person perhaps best described in the title of her book ‘Don’t Tell Me I Can’t’. May her kind soul rest in peace.”
Among those organisations paying tribute to Leigh’s life on social media was the Irish Wheelchair Association.
A statement from Association said: “Such sad news about the untimely passing of disability rights campaigner Leigh Gath. Our heartfelt condolences to Leigh’s family and friends.
“A Thalidomide survivor, she was a truly extraordinary person who advocated so strongly on disability issues. A force to be reckoned with and friend to so many, she will be deeply and sadly missed.”
A death notice released this week said she is “dearly missed by her husband Eugene, son Karl, daughter Aisling, nieces, nephews, relatives and a wide circle of friends from Newry, Limerick, Texas and all over Ireland and the world”.
Death notice: The death has occurred of Leigh Gath (Newry)
Her remains will repose at St Mary’s Church, Pallaskenry on Tuesday, July 30, from 6pm to 7.30pm.
Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, July 31, at 12pm followed by burial afterwards in Kilcornan Cemetery.
It is requested that the house remain strictly private with family flowers only.
Donations in lieu to the Samaritans or Enable Ireland.
Leigh’s Funeral Mass will be livestreamed through YouTube. You can watch the service by clicking the link here.
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