Launch of New AOTI Eva Duggan Award

This award recognises excellence in paediatric Occupational Therapy practice - closing soon

Eva Duggan Award 2022

AOTI are pleased to announce the inaugural Eva Duggan Award. The winner of this award will receive a €1,000 bursary to develop initiatives to enhance their paediatric service. This award recognises and rewards practice-based research projects in paediatric Occupational Therapy. It celebrates projects that showcase the use of meaningful occupation, involve clients and encourage role-emerging practice.

Who was Eva Duggan?

Eva Duggan:  1953-2017

Eva Duggan was a longstanding member of AOTI who died in 2017. She devoted most of her professional career to the service of children and young people. She was wholly committed to the objectives and activities of the Association and was dedicated to excellence and innovation. Most recently, she was a member of the Ann Beckett Award Committee until shortly before she died. In addition to practicing in paediatrics throughout her career, Eva also highly valued evidence-based practice and research that demonstrated the value and effectiveness of Occupational Therapy interventions. The Duggan family have kindly made a donation to AOTI to support paediatric occupational therapists in the introduction and implementation of a service or initiative reflecting the values she espoused. Colman, Victor & Patrick Duggan have shared the following words about Eva with AOTI:

From the time of her qualification as an occupational therapist at St Joseph’s College, Dun Laoghaire in 1974 until 2016, Eva practiced in a variety of clinical settings. Throughout her career she was an active member of AOTI.

For 32 years her work at the Central Remedial Clinic and the Irish Spina Bifida Association brought her in contact with children and young people living with disabilities to whom she gave her total commitment. Describing her as his “typing teacher”, the award winning author, Christopher Nolan, wrote: “Eva Fitzpatrick (Duggan) pondered on Lioresal’s possibilities (a medication used for treating muscle spasticity) towards tying back poor frantic Joseph Meehan’s jeering, jerky spasms…. Other lonely days pulled poor Eva to point out the necessity of typing peacefully, dramatically, as slim slow hope of caging frivolous spasm now sportingly seemed possible.” (Dam - Burst of Dreams, Christopher Nolan, London, 1981 pp19-20). Eva’s use of an innovative chin-stick assisted his early attempts at typing.

Always interested in promoting best practice, Eva was a founding member of the Ann Beckett Award Committee, remaining actively engaged in this project during her final illness. As a legacy to Eva’s commitment and achievements it is a privilege for her family to provide for this annual Award, intended to honour her memory by acknowledging best practice and research in the area of Paediatric Occupational Therapy.

What is the Eva Duggan Award?

The AOTI Eva Duggan Award is a €1,000 bursary available to occupational therapists working in a paediatric setting to introduce a new initiative such as a:

• Project
• Programme
• Group work

The €1,000 is not intended for use in the purchase assessments or equipment, rather it is a mechanism to enhance the delivery of an Occupational Therapy service. This is not an academic or research award. The purpose of the award is to celebrate the life and work of Eva Duggan and to support and celebrate occupational therapists who continue her great work today.

How to Apply

AOTI members working in a paediatric setting are eligible to apply for the award. Please read the Eva Duggan Award Guidelines carefully before completing the Application Form.  Completed entry forms should be returned as follows [email protected]

Closing date for entries: Close of business, Friday 19th August 2022. Entries will be reviewed by the AOTI Eva Duggan Award committee. Applicants will be shortlisted and invited for a short online interview. The winner will be notified in September and will be presented with their award at the AOTI Annual Conference in October.

A summary of this announcement can be downloiaded here