Success stories

Three topical issues have grabbed public attention during this beautiful summer.

The first was the life-affirming campaign by a County Tyrone mother Charlotte Caldwell to have cannabis oil for medicinal use legalised in the UK.  Health has been newsworthy this month as the UK marks the 70^th anniversary of the foundation of the National Health Service (5 July 1948).

By coincidence, Jeanette Lewis’s informative article in Exploring Retirement[i] has reported about Canada’s intention to legalise recreational cannabis this autumn.   

She explains that the THC cannabis chemical produces intoxicating effects, whereas its CBD chemical is non-intoxicating.  CBD produces medicinal benefits, including for the treatment of nausea after chemotherapy, for epileptic seizures and for arthritis.   

Public sympathy was aroused following the confiscation by customs officials in London of CBD oils which Mrs Caldwell had purchased in Canada.  In the absence of the oils, her autistic 12-year-old son Billy was rushed to hospital when epileptic seizures returned to threaten his life.  Her battling efforts received national coverage on UK news channels.   

Fortunately, and probably as a direct result of the convincing eloquence of this campaigning mother,[ii]  the Government relented and eventually granted a licence for the handing back of the oils and their permissible use at home in Northern Ireland.

The pressure for legislative reform remains, however, with other parents across the UK campaigning for decriminalisation; one such being another Northern Irish family.[iii]

I recall reading an article in the Times Weekend Body and Soul supplement last December about CBD’s medicinal benefits.  It reported on its availability in well-known health food shops in the UK.   

When I was recuperating from fracture injuries at that time and weaning off pharmaceutical drugs, I found it easy to access CBD oil[iv] from legal retail outlets. This was to act as a homeopathic alternative painkiller to prescription drugs.  I presume that the strength of CPD oil required to control epileptic seizures must be more substantial.

The satisfying postscript to this saga is that on July 26, the UK Government has announced its intention to legalise the use of medicinal cannabis for patients with exceptional medical need.[v]  An opportune birthday present for Billy Caldwell, celebrating his 13^th birthday.

The second story that has enthralled the public this summer is the predicament and ordeal of the Wild Boars, a boys’ football team, stranded horrifically in a flooded cave system at Tham Luang in northern Thailand.  

This story had all of the ingredients to hold the attention – young lives at mortal risk, dependant families (Buddhist and Muslim) praying against hope for a rescue, enormous danger, suspense, acts of heroism, massive logistics with professional engineers and volunteer cavers going to the ends of the earth to rescue the innocent as monsoon rains threaten.  

And against all odds, a successful rescue and happy ending demonstrated that the world is a better place when defeat is not an option and nations co-operate.

The unfolding of the Thai drama was so reminiscent of the entrapment, near disaster and ultimate rescue of Chilean miners from a remote copper mine in the Atacama Desert in October 2010.  

Seventeen days after the collapse of the rock, it was confirmed that all 33 miners were alive; they had, however, to wait an excruciating further seven weeks before being freed.  

That miraculous story of hope and triumph was articulated in a brilliant book[vi] painstakingly completed about two months later by an award-winning journalist.
To date the most comprehensive single narrative of theThai story is a 10 page day-by-day account (17 days and 3 hours) complete with photographs and diagrams written by Richard Lloyd Parry (Times Magazine 28 July 2018).

The third event that commanded public attention this summer also relates to football.  It is the beauty of the 2018 World Cup, the unexpected progress of the hosts Russia and also of England’s youthful team.  What underlines its newsworthiness is a context of diplomatic hostility between those countries.

Every big sporting competition throws up its own gripping tales of national success and disappointment.  After the last World Cup in Brazil four years ago culminating in relative “disaster” for the host country and ultimate victory for Germany, I discussed the question of links between national economies and success and failure on the football pitch.[vii] 

Following the well-documented episode in the Wiltshire city of Salisbury involving the poisoning of two former Russian citizens and tit-for-tat expulsions of ambassadors in many countries, there was talk of withdrawing the English team from the tournament.  

Wiser counsels prevailed, although home support from the UK was numerically reduced and no UK Government representative attended in support of England.

It was evident, however, that sport trumped politics – and not just relations with Russia.  The overwhelmingly favourable comments from England fans who made the trip and from TV commentators about being made welcome and praising the great spectacle spoke volumes.  

One by-product of our open society is great sports journalism with competitions like the World Cup bringing out the best.  

Take, for example, this extract from a report[viii] after England’s quarter-final win over Sweden:-

“But this wasn’t just a victory, it was a national exorcism. The ignominy of losing against Iceland in the European championship two years ago evaporated like spilled beer in the hot English sun as thousands of pub gardens up and down the land reverberated to the chorus of Three Lions and an inexperienced, youngish team stood unblinking in the full adulation of a nation hungry for joy and heroes.... it was hard to tell who needed the victory more, the nation or the national side. An England riven by Brexit and fretting about its fractious relationship with the other members of the UK could be forgiven for lacking confidence.”

Another newspaper’s chief football writer was equally emphatic in his eloquence. Inspired by England player Fabian Delph’s comments about the team being a catalyst for change in society and a symbol of harmony he wrote[ix]:- 

“given the political stasis of the country, fresh ideas, voices, and hope are timely.  Fabian Delph said “what’s happened in this tournament the diversity of the team has brought people together back home; if we continue to do what we’re doing and unite people, I’m sure we’ll be living in a better England...”

Russia had begun the tournament as the lowest-placed team on the world ranking, got the jamboree off to the perfect start leading by example by playing thrilling attacking football with a 5 nil win (against Saudi Arabia), and surviving against the odds to reach the quarter finals on an exuberant wave of national support.

Likewise the tournament champions France thrilled audiences across the globe winning a richly entertaining final against little Croatia 4 2, their players echoing England’s sentiments by speaking of how their team has united their ethnically-diverse country for the good.  What is there not to admire about the human spirit and the contrast with the politics of division?

One has to ask, what do the three topics have in common – a mother campaigning against the system to save her son, volunteers rescuing Thai boys from a remote cave, and a sporting extravaganza full of highs and lows.   

Is it emotion, or just plain and simple human interest?  They provide us with hope and deliver.

Behind the facts and the varying circumstances, the public connects with stories which convey emotions – suspense, joy, horror, triumph, exasperation, struggle, hope, love.  These examples replicate what music, poetry and art can do, which is to make an emotional connection with us.  That is what holds our attention.

At a time when “turmoil” has become the phrase of choice to describe the political debate in the UK[x] and when the “leader of the free world” sees the EU and NATO as foes, it is unsurprising that people turn to positive stories to restore faith in humanity.  

What goes around comes around.  Just as sports journalists draw comparisons between football and politics, political commentators can return the favour with aplomb.   One[xi] draws a telling lesson with reference to the England football team’s manager and the now ex-Foreign Secretary: 

“Gareth Southgate is much loved because he stuck to decency and hard work even if in the end he did not win the great prize.  Johnson is also now unlikely ever to reach his goal, but he has in the process surrendered any claim to affection respect or trust.”

©Michael McSorley 2018

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[i] Exploring Retirement July 2018 http://www.exploringretirement.co.uk/JJuly18.htm

[ii] https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/belfast-trust-announce-billy-caldwell-can-now-receive-cannabis-medication-at-home-37101540.html

[iii] https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/young-girl-admitted-to-hospital-during-wait-for-medicinal-cannabis-licence-37102497.html

[iv] “Canabidol” the trademark name, “100% cannabis oil” available in 500 and 1000 mg strength.

[v] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-44968386

[vi] “The 33” Jonathan Franklin 2011. Bantam Press

[vii] http://michaelmesorleysport.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-2014-world-cup.html

[viii] Observer 8 July 2018

[ix] The Times Sport Henry Winter 14 July 2018 p 12 “Curtain Call for the Players who unified a Nation.”

[x] Sonia Purnell Observer Focus 15 July 2018 “No Honour No Glory, farewell to the UK’s blond wrecker” https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/15/boris-johnson-no-honour-no-glory-political-maverick

[xi]Sonia Purnell Observer Focus 15 July 2018 “No Honour No Glory, farewell to the UK’s blond wrecker"