This week, the Irish Heart Foundation attended the EACH (European Alliance for Cardiovascular Health) Summit at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

The Alliance which aims to raise awareness on the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) through a European Plan to improve cardiovascular health of all people in the EU, organised the event to allow European countries to send cardiovascular health reps to petition MEPs to sign up to a Cardiovascular Health plan for Europe commitment prior to the European elections in June 2024.

Despite the fact that almost 600,000 people live with a cardiovascular condition in Ireland and an estimated 60 million people in Europe (EACH), and that cardiovascular conditions are a leading cause of death in many European countries, there is currently no cardiovascular plan in Europe or Ireland to best serve these heart and stroke patients.

Without a cardiovascular plan it is virtually impossible to ensure that heart and stroke patients can receive the healthcare services, supports and funding of same, all of which is vital so that these patients and survivors may achieve the optimum quality of life possible post-diagnosis.

We need a political commitment now from TDs and MEPs to prioritise cardiovascular planning in their manifestos ahead of both national and European elections. That commitment is vital to ensuring that heart and stroke patients in their constituencies are being best served by these representatives.

The Irish Heart Foundation, as a member of the European Heart Network (EHN), one of the organising committee groups, attended the event, which took place from December 11^th to December 13^th.

Pauline O’Shea, Advocacy Campaigns Manager with the Irish Heart Foundation met with a host of MEPs including,

• Colm Markey – Fine Gael
• Frances Fitzgerald – Fine Gael
• Barry Andrews – Fianna Fail
• Maria Walsh – Fine Gael
• Billy Kelliher – Fianna Fail
• Ciaran Cuffe – Green Party
• Sean Kelly – Fine Gael
• Chris McManus – Sinn Féin

Following the event, Pauline said: “It was wonderful to see Irish MEPs turning out in large numbers to support Ireland’s call for a European cardiovascular plan and in the process committing to recommending to their party colleagues at home in Ireland the importance of developing a cardiovascular plan in Ireland too!”