The Irish Heart Foundation would like to share some events and activities with you that will be coming up over the next few months.

April sees the beginning of another round of Irish Heart Foundation Patient Champion training for heart patients and stroke survivors. The Patient Champions Programme aims to utilise and advance the skillset of cardiovascular patients, by offering them free, online Advocacy training, as well as follow up support and opportunities to use their voices, to identify and fight for areas of unmet patient need, to present to politicians, healthcare professionals and the public, as well as how to navigate the world of media to advance their causes. The training will continue to June.

Anyone interested can find out more here www.irishheart.ie/patientchampions

We are delighted to have our team of door-to-door (D2D) and on-site fundraisers out on the road again.

Since 30^th March, they have been braving the elements, spreading the message about the importance of the Irish Heart Foundation, inspiring people and at the same time, acquiring new monthly donors, which we need so much. Regular giving is of immense value to charities as it provides a steady and predictable stream of recurring revenue day in and day out, which makes it easier to forecast ahead.

The teams are easily identifiable by their branded clothing and always carry ID. Like us, they believe that everyone has the power to save a life and we can be here together for every heartbeat. They are calling to doorsteps and approaching people at the selected sites to help make a real difference.

Please say hello and provide words of encouragement if you happen to see them…

The 2026 Schneider Electric Paris Marathon will take place on Sunday, 12^th April, featuring 60,000 runners navigating a 42.195 km course through Paris, starting at the Arc de Triomphe. The race passes iconic sites like the Champs-Élysées, Louvre, and Eiffel Tower, offering a scenic route through the city.

We are delighted to have participants running for team Irish Heart, doing it for the hearts that can’t ❤️

This April, the Irish Heart Foundation will bring leading academics and researchers before the Oireachtas Heart and Stroke group at Leinster House to examine the role that social media influencers play in promoting unhealthy food to children.

Blurring the line between entertainment and marketing, social media influencers are exposing children to high volumes of unhealthy food advertising. The evidence is clear, industry self-regulation is failing, and legally binding rules are needed to protect children from harmful marketing.

The event will showcase findings from the ClickBite research, highlighting the scale and impact of children’s exposure to harmful food marketing across digital platforms.

The Irish Heart Foundation, in partnership with the Heart Failure Nurses Association and Croí, is excited to run a 2‑week Heart Failure Awareness Roadshow running from 27^th April to 7^th May.

Aligned with the European Society of Cardiology’s theme “Awareness Today, Protection Tomorrow,” this roadshow aims to reach people living with risk factors for heart failure, helping them better understand the condition and the steps they can take to protect their heart health.

Over the two weeks, the Irish Heart Foundation and Croí will each host four events, culminating in a flagship event in the Midlands.

At each event Croí and Irish Heart Foundation nurses will offer free health checks and provide information about their services.

Heart Failure Nurses will be on-site to share expert secondary prevention advice and practical information about heart failure.

This roadshow is a valuable opportunity for individuals and communities to learn more about heart failure, understand their own risk, and take simple steps toward a healthier future.

Call in to see us on the following dates;

Additional information on heart failure is available on irishheart.ie

Kindly supported by

This May, the Irish Heart Foundation will run a national campaign to include PR, advertising and digital activity to raise awareness about the link between high blood pressure and heart disease and stroke. The campaign, titled ‘Before Damage is Done,’ aims to educate the public on the silent dangers of high blood pressure and encourage proactive health checks.

World Hypertension Day is 17th May. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is often symptomless, silently damaging your heart and other organs. Sadly, many people only discover they have high blood pressure after experiencing a heart attack or stroke. The campaign’s key message emphasises the importance of getting your blood pressure checked ‘before damage is done’.

High blood pressure affects two out of three over-50s, but half of people don’t know it. Research shows that Ireland has one of the lowest rates of awareness, treatment, and control of high blood pressure among high-income countries. Additionally, while many people know that high blood pressure is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, there is a lack of awareness about other serious outcomes such as dementia, kidney disease, and some forms of blindness.

Join us in spreading awareness to prevent the silent damage caused by high blood pressure, Before Damage is Done.

For more information, visit irishheart.ie.

We’re excited to continue building our partnership with Daybreak. They will be hosting a nationwide coffee morning on 8th May in their stores across the country where €1 from every hot drink sold will be donated to the Irish Heart Foundation. Keep an eye out for announcements in your local Daybreak store. At the start of the summer their stores will be invited to join a bespoke challenge event.

If you’re nearby on 8^th May it would be fantastic if you could pop in to say hello and grab a quick coffee.

As part of our 60th anniversary celebrations, we’re delighted to be hosting two Irish Heart Foundation Golf Classics later this year, one at the K Club on 15^th May and one at Monkstown Golf Club, Cork on 11^th September. These events are among the flagship moments of our anniversary programme and play an important role in strengthening our visibility and relationships within the corporate sector.

While the Golf Classics are primarily designed for corporate audiences, many of our strongest connections over the years have begun with a simple introduction made by one of our supporters. If you happen to know someone – a friend, family member, neighbour, or former colleague who works in a company that might be interested in hearing about the event or exploring sponsorship options, we would be grateful if you could let them know about these events.

For more information please get in touch with Anne Riordan at ariordan@irishheart.ie

Launch of our new Easy Read resource “Menopause and your heart health”.

Our new Easy Read publication “Menopause and your heart health” will be launched on 26^th May at Darmagh Community Centre, Tullamore.

This new resource was developed in collaboration with disabilities organisations Inclusion Ireland and Ability West.

The resource targets women with intellectual disabilities with important information about the impact of menopause on heart health and the steps you can take to promote your heart health.

Co-produced with disability day service users in Galway and the Midlands, this resource follows an Easy Read format using Photosymbols to increase accessibility.

We would like to thank Inclusion Ireland and Ability West for their committed partnership on this project. We are grateful to all the disability day service users who took part in this coproduction project.

Download your copy here

The Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon is taking place on Sunday 31^st May in Dublin City Centre, and we are delighted to have so many amazing women running for the Irish Heart Foundation again this year!

Being part of the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon has been such a powerful way for the Irish Heart Foundation to bring our mission to life. It especially helps us to increase awareness of a crucial social issue: the risk of heart disease and stroke in women, and the need for women to prioritise their cardiovascular health.

1 in 4 women dies from heart disease and stroke – the same as men – yet research has shown that heart disease in women has been under-researched, under-diagnosed, and under-treated for far too long.

The good news is that 80% of premature heart disease and stroke can be prevented by a healthy lifestyle. As well as making heart-healthy lifestyle changes, it’s important to be aware of the symptoms of heart attack. Women are less likely than men to recognise the symptoms of heart attack and take longer than men to get medical help and treatment after experiencing one.

Through the passion and dedication of participants, the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon helps us to reach more people, strengthen our impact and continue working towards a future where no more loved ones are needlessly lost ❤️

In June, the Irish Heart Foundation will be launching its pre-budget submission ahead of the Government announcement of Budget 2027 in October. The Budget announcement will detail the expenditure and taxation policies of the state over the next twelve months.

The pre-budget submission provides an opportunity for the Foundation to put forward its evidence-based fiscal recommendations to focus investment in areas that could yield substantial benefits for CVD patients, promote public health and prevent future disease and death.

This includes the prevention of CVD through effective fiscal policies, the prioritisation of CVD health strategies and programmes, the protection of people living with CVD, and creating a healthier environment.

The recommendations from our pre-budget submission have been developed through collaboration with staff and our extensive patient champion network. They will be presented to Ministers, TDs, and Senators, to secure their inclusion in Budget 2027.

Olivia McLoughlin Sweeney

In 2025, when Olivia was 49, a consultant told her that her heart was “like a jigsaw” due to a congenital defect that carried the very real risk of Sudden Death Syndrome with even minor exertion. Olivia describes it simply: “I was basically made the wrong way. Things aren’t in the right place in my heart. I was all mixed up.”

Olivia had none of the classic warning signs. “They were very surprised I had no chest pain. I never did.” she says. But over the preceding years her health had started to deteriorate. “I was out of breath probably, if I look back, from about 2017 on and off, and I put it down to menopause, needing to lose weight, being busy. In hindsight it was nothing to do with that.”

Read Olivia’s story in full here

This and all our real-life stores, are available to view here.

MyHealth RCSI – Your Healthy Heart

22^nd April, 18:00 – 19:30

RCSI Dublin, 118 St Stephen’s Green, D02 X0N1

As part of our ongoing collaboration with the RCSI during our 60th‑anniversary celebrations, we’re pleased to announce our participation in their upcoming MyHealth talk on heart health.

Join the RCSI for a special in‑person event on Wednesday, 22^nd April where they will break down the realities of heart health in a way that’s friendly, practical and easy-to-understand.

Heart disease affects thousands of people in Ireland every year, but understanding your heart doesn’t have to be complicated.

They’ll be talking about everything from the early warning signs of heart trouble, to what happens during a cardiac event, to how you can live well with a long‑term heart condition. If you’ve ever wondered what symptoms you shouldn’t ignore, how treatments work, or what you can do to protect your heart every day, this conversation is for you.

With insights from cardiology experts and Irish Heart Foundation members Janis Morrissey, Director of Health Promotion, Information and Training, and lived‑experience stories from Patient Champions Sharon Butler and Stephen Comerford, this event will leave you feeling better informed and empowered to look after your heart. The Irish Heart Foundation will also be on hand to answer your questions.

This free, in-person event is open to everyone.

More information and registration here

Online Information Talks

We have two upcoming online information talks: Talks are open to members of the public, patients and health care professionals.

For more information on either of these talks please contact heartservices@irishheart.ie

Dr Barry Kevane, Consultant Haematologist, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin, will join us on Zoom on Monday 27^th April 2026 at 12:30 pm to give a talk on blood clots in people affected by cancer and to answer your questions. The session will end at 14:00.

If you have cancer, you may have a greater risk of getting blood clots. Also, some cancer medicines can further increase the risk of clots.

While blood clots can happen in many parts of your body, the most common places are in your chest or legs.

This talk aims to give you information about the signs and symptoms of a blood clot and what to do next. It will guide you through the common treatments and what to expect as you recover from a clot.

Book here: Cancer and Blood Clots – Online Talk Monday 27^th April 12.30 pm

Dr Zain Sharif, Consultant Cardiologist, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, will join us on Zoom on Thursday 14^th May at 13:00 to give a talk on Atrial Fibrillation (AF, or AFib) and to answer your questions. The session will end at 14:00.

Atrial Fibrillation is an abnormal heart rhythm, which gets more common as we get older. While AF is not immediately life-threatening, it can lead to a range of symptoms and serious complications including heart failure or stroke. This talk aims to give you information about the causes, treatments and ongoing management of this heart rhythm condition. It will also look at ways to adjust lifestyle to help manage AF and supports available to help you cope and live well with the condition.

Book here: Living with Atrial Fibrillation – Online Talk Thursday 14^th May 1pm