Patient Champions: An exciting new voluntary role for heart and stroke patients with the Irish Heart Foundation.

The role of Patient Champion is a new volunteering opportunity for heart and stroke patients who are willing to champion for change around the issues that affect both themselves and other patients in their local community. The selected Patient Champions will be supported through a series of Irish Heart Foundation training sessions and ongoing guidance.

Patient Champions will also support the Irish Heart Foundation’s national advocacy efforts and heart health campaigns which are based on surveys, national data investigations, focus groups, and other forms of patient feedback that help ensure that the Irish Heart Foundation’s aims are shaped by the needs of those whose lives have been affected by heart disease and stroke.

Applicants chosen to become Patient Champions will be provided with full advocacy training, online guidelines for media interviews and public speaking, and information about the methods involved in political lobbying.

The Irish Heart Foundation will continue to provide ongoing support to Patient Champions as they advocate in their localities and regions. As well as this, the Irish Heart Foundation will develop a patient advocacy network to offer peer support for patient champions.

Advocacy Campaign Manager, Pauline O’Shea commented, “This is an exciting opportunity for both the Irish Heart Foundation and heart and stroke patients in Ireland, to work together to support each other in advocating for better awareness of the heart and stroke issues that patients face, as well as to strive towards improvements that will make a difference to the everyday lives of patients.”

“The patient journey is often a tough one, but the loneliness and energy required to fight for patient issues alone only makes that journey tougher. In that way, it is hoped that our Patient Champions will benefit not just from training and guidance that the Irish Heart Foundation can provide in advocating for change, but from the camaraderie and support of the Patient Champion network that the Irish Heart Foundation intends to build,” Pauline explained.

If you would like to apply to apply to be a volunteer Patient Champion, please email  ihfvolunteer@irishheart.ie with your name and phone number and include ‘Patient Champions’ as the subject.