There’s only one way to know if you have high blood pressure – measure it!
A trip to the barbers could have you looking and feeling better thanks to Croí, the heart and stroke charity, and the barbers of Ballina. To coincide with Men’s Health Week from June 12th – 18th 2023, Croí is collaborating with barbers and pharmacies in Ballina to raise awareness of the importance of getting regular blood pressure checks and managing high blood pressure.
Having your blood pressure measured is quick and easy!
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a sign that the heart and blood vessels are being overworked which in turn increases your risk of having a heart attack or a stroke. Croí encourages men this Men’s Health Week to know their numbers and visit their local pharmacy for a blood pressure check.
During Men’s Health Week, customers visiting the participating barbers in Ballina will receive information on the importance of blood pressure checks along with a list of pharmacies in the town offering free blood pressure checks.
Participating barbers in Ballina include: Nikki’s Barbers, Amanda’s Barbers, Lewy’s Barber Lounge, Kev’s Kutz, Gabby’s Turkish Barber, O’Rourke’s Barbers, Hallahan’s Barbers and Ricky’s Barbers.
Those who also complete a short questionnaire provided at the participating barbers will also be entered into a draw to win one of two €100 Elverys Vouchers.
The participating pharmacies in Ballina include: Molloy’s (Bunree Road), Molloy’s (Garden Street), Kilroy’s (Emmet Street), McKane’s (O’Rahilly Street), Mulligan’s (Kevin Barry Street) and Ward’s (Pearse Street).
Commenting on the initiative, Croí’s Head of Health Programmes, Dr Lisa Hynes, said: “We want the people of Mayo to become more aware of their cardiovascular health and this campaign during Men’s Health Week really allows us to do that in a very focused environment. 38% of men in Ireland are living with high blood pressure and we want to do all we can to reduce this number. After all, getting your blood pressure checked is quicker than getting your haircut and it could save your life!”
Pictured L-R: Paul Cunnane, Croí Third Age Mayo Project Coordinator; Amanda Greer, Amanda’s Barbers, Ballina; Ricky Pownall, Ricky’s Barbers, Ballina; Mark Duffy, Cathaoirleach of Ballina Municipal District; Lewis Nealon, Lewy’s Barbers Lounge, Ballina; Elmer Pieterse, Healthy Mayo Coordinator; and Laurence Gaughan, HSE Project Manager, Health & Wellbeing. Photographed by John O’Grady.