Croí, the heart and stroke charity, launched the Croí Mobile Health Hub, a state-of-the-art mobile health unit, in Tuam, on Thursday 12 September, offering free blood pressure and stethoscope checks, along with expert health advice.
The event also featured a talk by the Croí Health Team on the benefits of healthy eating and physical activity for maintaining a healthy heart. Commissioned as part of a transformative legacy donation of over €3m from the Joe & Helen O’Toole Charitable Trust, the Croí Mobile Health Hub is a first of its kind in Ireland.
The 13.6-metre-long, multi-purpose unit is the largest of its type in the country, designed to facilitate early detection of stroke and heart disease. Equipped with six private assessment cubicles and two consultation rooms, the vehicle can also be converted into an open-plan educational and training space capable of hosting up to 40 visitors, with full audio-visual facilities.
Mark O’Donnell, CEO of Croí, emphasised the importance of this groundbreaking initiative: “Stroke and heart disease remain the leading causes of death and acquired disability worldwide, yet 80% of early cardiovascular disease is preventable. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of the Joe & Helen O’Toole Charitable Trust, this mobile facility will bring lifesaving services directly to communities.
“The Croí multi-disciplinary health team will provide varied early detection and preventive health checks on board, as well as deliver education and training events. We are committed to making these services accessible across the region and beyond through our mobile units, as well as building out the delivery of additional and more advanced diagnostics, and research activities over time”
The Mobile Health Hub will offer a wide range of free health activities across the West of Ireland and beyond. Its capacity to deliver public-facing health initiatives aims to empower individuals with the knowledge and support they need to take control of their heart health.
Education programmes will cover a broad spectrum of topics, including brain and heart health, specialist lifestyle & dietary advice; recognition of stroke and heart attack signs and symptoms; defibrillation training for community first responders and home responders; post-stroke and post-heart attack recovery within the community; disease awareness and advocacy campaigns as well as exercise based physical activity.
The Croí Mobile Health Hub is the third community vehicle acquired by Croí, since launching a Community Mobile Health unit and minibus earlier this year, all of which have been funded by the trust. In addition, the Joe & Helen O’Toole Stroke Hub will open at Croí House in Newcastle. Galway, in January 2025 to provide post-hospital discharge stroke care and support services as part of this legacy donation.
Established in 1985, Croí’s mission is to prevent heart disease and stroke, save lives and empower and support people, families, communities and future generations to take control of their health and well-being. The purpose-built Croí Heart & Stroke Centre opened in Galway in November 2012 and is a leading centre for heart and stroke prevention, research, education, support, and rehabilitation. For more information visit: www.croi.ie/
