BY KATE HEANEY

LETTERKENNY will host the first north west conference on MRSA infection this weekend. Its main aim is to educate people as to how something as simple as washing their hands can save lives.

It will also provide information to families who have been effected by the sometimes fatal infection, around which there has been a virtual "wall of silence"

Basic hygiene almost sounds too simple but MRSA survivor Ebie Francis from Falcarragh knows the importance of cleanliness in preventing the spread of this horrendous infection.

This week she spoke to the Donegal News about her own traumatic experience. She and her husband Tommy are fully supportive of this weekend's conference which is organised by the Donegal branch of MRSA and Families Network. Letterkenny woman Rosemary Cassidy is one of the organisers.

Having lived through Ebie's very close brush with death, Tommy believes it is important that people know about MRSA and how to prevent it spreading through hospitals.

"People going into hospitals, patients, visitors or medical personnel need to all know that we can carry MRSA on our hands. You touch someone, shake hands, give a hug, a kiss, touch a door handle, a toilet flush handle, you can pick it up from any surface.

"A patient with an open wound or any sort of intrusive procedure who contracts MRSA is five times more likely to die than the patient who is

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