Orla Tinsley

Orla Tinsley is an Irish campaigner, author and journalist from Co.Kildare in Ireland.

Campaigner and Journalist

In 2005 at the age of 18 Tinsley began writing for The Irish Times on the state of Cystic Fibrosis care in Ireland. Her work launched a lengthy campaign to improve healthcare services and awareness of cystic fibrosis in Ireland. The campaign spanned several years and was a nationwide community effort sustained by the stories and energy of people with CF and their families and communities around Ireland.

She was named Rehab Young Person of the Year in 2008 and Irish Tatler Magazine's Woman of the Year in 2009. In 2010 she was awarded the Young Medical Journalist of the Year award.

Documentary

In 2011 Ms Tinsley presented a special documentary for Radio Telefis Eireann's flagship current affairs programme Prime Time to apply pressure for building to begin at St Vincent Hospital.

Memoir

In 2011 her bestselling memoir Salty Baby was published. It was shortlisted for Best Newcomer at the Board Gais Irish Book Awards. .

Result

The Adult Cystic Fibrosis unit that Ms. Tinsley campaigned for along with many of her friends opened in July 2012. The 100 bed ward block has both an outpatient and inpatient facility for people with Cystic Fibrosis. It also has a floor of isolation rooms for people with cancer and another floor for those with infectious diseases who need isolation.

Transgender Rights

Since 2012 Ms Tinsley focused on the rights of transgender people to attain gender recognition in Ireland. She was named Broadcaster / Journalist of the Year by the Gay and Lesbian Association in 2013.

New Cystic Fibrosis Drug

That same year she launched a campaign to get Kalydeco into Ireland after experts rejected making the drug available because it was too expensive. The drug, Kalydeco, made by Vertex, is the first to treat the cause of cystic fibrosis and not just the symptoms.

In Feburary 2013 the Minister for Health announced that the drug would be made available.

Since late 2013 Ms Tinsley is one of the first people in the world to be treated by the second new Cystic Fibrosis drug Orkambi by Vertex which treats the most common mutation of CF. The drug has proven to improve lung function and health for people with CF.

Columbia University

In 2014 Ms Tinsley announced on the Irish talk-show Saturday Night with Miriam that she had been awarded a scholarship to Columbia University. She now lives in New York City.