Irish in Britain’s new heart health campaign launched in March with an event in Westminster sponsored by MP Maria Caulfield and attended by MPs from across the House of Commons.
MPs, including Steve Pound, Karin Smyth, Andrew Rosindell, Jon Cruddas and Andy Slaughter, gathered to support the event and several had their own blood pressure checked by Dr Aisling Hillary. Aisling is helping promote this initiative to address the Irish community’s higher rates of heart disease.
On St Patrick’s Day weekend Green Hearts held a blood pressure awareness event with Cardiology Nurse Valerie Nangle at the Irish in Britain stand in Trafalgar Square during the St. Patrick’s parade.
Valerie said “I was very surprised at the rates of severe hypertension among the people screened which highlights the importance and necessity of these events.
“Hypertension is a silent killer and many people are unaware that they are suffering from high blood pressure as it often has no symptoms.
“The rates of high blood pressure recorded highlights the need for the Irish community to become more proactive at engaging with health screening to become empowered at looking after their health.
“Green Hearts is an amazing campaign that aims to raise awareness to empower the Irish population to prevent heart disease at both a personal and community level.”
To help raise spread awareness Green Hearts will be collaborating with May Measurement Month to facilitate a national blood pressure screening programme aimed at Irish people in Britain.
We will launch the initiative at the Luton Irish Forum on Friday 13 April 10–11am with special guests MEP Alex Mayer.
We are asking our members, GAA clubs and Irish organisations to participate in the initiative by hosting a screening event during the month of May.
Did you know? Hypertension is very common, making it a major public health issue – the estimated number of adults living with high blood pressure globally was is expected to increase to 1.56 billion by 2025.
It’s estimated that around half the people who have hypertension are not even aware of the fact. With rates of mortality from coronary heart disease, stroke and hypertension higher than average in the Irish population in Britain, this is a particularly relevant to our community.
If you would like to set up a screening event contact Marie at Irish in Britain, closing date for applications Tuesday 4 April.
Email: health@irishinbritain.org Phone: 07795 677 475