Launched by Eric Elwood of Connaught rugby this campaign will involve Barber Shops across the West of Ireland spreading important messages about the main signs and symptoms of heart attack to its customers. Lending his support to this health initiative, Eric Elwood, expressed his delight at being involved in a project which will inevitably save lives.
Speaking about this initiative Director of Programmes at Croí Irene Gibson said “This campaign, aims to raise awareness about heart attack, one of the leading causes of death in Ireland. We are encouraging everyone to learn the main signs and symptoms of heart attack and to take immediate action by phoning 999 or 112 for an ambulance, if you suspect that you, or a family member, may be having a heart attack. All too often, people wait too long to take appropriate action; which can limit treatment options, increase the risk of complications, and unfortunately, in too many cases, individuals die at home before they seek help. By working with the Barber Shops during Men’s Health Week we are hoping to spread the message to as many men as possible. While it may seem an unusual setting for a health message many of the Barbers who have come on board have been really eager to get involved and spread the campaign message to their customers, in an effort to save lives.”
Co-ordinator of Cardiac Rehabilitation in Mayo University Hospital, Ann Marie Brown, welcomed the campaign by saying “So many individuals who come through the cardiac rehabilitation service are often very surprised that they did not recognise they were having a heart attack at the time of their cardiac event. Unfortunately, many people still believe that the experience of a heart attack will be similar to that portrayed on the TV, in other words, they expect to experience the crushing chest pain or collapse on the floor, and if they do not experience these, they are left thinking that their symptoms are unrelated to heart attack. It is important that the public realise that there are many other signs of heart attack, and by becoming aware of these, we hope people will seek medical help sooner.”
With Heart Attack, minutes matter, so the key message during this campaign is ‘Know the Signs of Heart Attack and Take Immediate Action by calling 999 or 112’.