Medtronic Mission Maker Grant 2025

Funding to support organisations with a mission to improve health outcomes.

Medtronic plc, the global leader in medical technology, in partnership with The Ireland Funds, has announced that 10 health initiatives, in areas including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer and women’s health, are to receive a combined €100,000, benefitting more than 2,000 patients across the country.

The Medtronic ‘Mission Makers’ initiative is focused on supporting charities in Ireland to each deliver their own mission to improve lives by funding patient awareness activities, with the flagship €50,000 grant to be awarded to Croí, the west of Ireland cardiac and stroke foundation. Four other organisations will be granted €10,000 each, including Diabetes Ireland, the Dillon Quirke Foundation, the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) and the National Women’s Council of Ireland Education & Training (NWCI E&T).

Five additional health organisations have received €2,000 each to support their initiatives in areas such as asthma, bowel cancer, epilepsy and sepsis.

Welcoming the flagship award, Croí, Chief Executive, Mark O’Donnell said, ‘Croí are delighted to be awarded the Medtronic Mission Makers grant of €50,000 under the auspices of The Ireland Funds. This funding will underpin significant and wide-ranging heart health and stroke prevention activities to communities in 2025 using Croí’s mobile health units, working closely with the Medtronic team and providing many engagement opportunities.’

Robert O’Brien, Vice President Human Resources Global Manufacturing and Medtronic Ireland Country Leader, added, ‘Medtronic is unique in our 60 year plus commitment to our Mission to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life. The Medtronic Mission Makers initiative is an opportunity to support health charities in Ireland to each deliver their own mission. Reaching patients in the community with information to raise awareness of illness or health conditions is an area where these charities excel and we are delighted to play a role in supporting their important work. The partner organisations will also engage with our 4,000+ employees across Athlone, Galway and Dublin to grow their base of advocates and supporters.’

Speaking about the Mission Makers initiative, Siobhán Gallagher, Executive Director, The Ireland Funds said, ‘The Ireland Funds is proud to partner with Medtronic to support ten exceptional organisations through the Mission Makers grant round. These grants will help each organisation raise awareness of critical health issues. By empowering them to expand their reach, we hope to inspire greater understanding and action in tackling these issues.’

Croí will use the €50,000 funding to provide heart health and stroke prevention services in underserved communities, and its newly commissioned state-of-the-art Mobile Health Hub will anchor three community health events in Galway and Athlone. Health checks and information on disease prevention will engage 1,000 people in person and a further 8,000 digitally, creating a significant impact across the west of Ireland.

Diabetes Ireland will support four ‘Type 1 Diabetes Technology & Research Discovery’ events in Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Derry, educating up to 600 people while the Dillon Quirke Foundation will offer free cardiac screenings to 75 young athletes aged 12-18 across sports clubs in Ireland on World Heart Day.

The Irish Cancer Society (ICS) will host three ‘Your Health Matters’ roadshow events, and the National Women’s Council of Ireland Education & Training (NWCI E&T) will host a storytelling event on International Women’s Day.

Earlier this year Medtronic Ireland invited charities to apply for a Medtronic Mission Maker grant.  Following submissions, all applications were assessed by Medtronic employees and The Ireland Funds, and following review and the completion of a due diligence process, 10 successful organisations were selected.

Croí’s aim is to lead the fight against heart disease and stroke, with a particular focus on the West of Ireland. Its mission is to prevent disease, save lives, empower, and support people, families, communities, and future generations to take control of their health and wellbeing. Croí’s focus on an ongoing preventative approach underpins a wide range of their activities, from public talks, information campaigns, through to free community health checks, and secondary prevention programmes working closely with patients who have experienced a cardiac event or stroke.

Croí’s new custom-built state-of-the-art Mobile Health Hub will be the centrepiece of three Community Health events in Galway and Athlone, providing health checks and prevention information in underserved communities in the west of Ireland. Croí will also deliver bespoke digital content focused on heart health and stroke prevention, along with offering their online Walking Challenge platform. Key awareness-raising days will be World Stroke Day, Global Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Week, World Hypertension Day, and World Heart Rhythm Week. Croí aims to reach approximately 1,000 people at their Community Health Events, 50 community leaders/representatives, and a further 8,000 people with their digital content and walking challenge.