A new drive is underway to bolster State funding for services which heart and stroke patients in Co Galway describe as their “lifeline”.
Locals are being urged to lobby their TDs and Senators to sign a pledge to support Irish Heart Foundation patient support services - with funding vital to their continued operation.
It is estimated that 32,000 people in Galway are living with cardiovascular disease.
For many, supports provided by the charity are the only help they receive after a life-changing heart event, heart failure, stroke or other cardiac conditions.
The practical, social and emotional support services begin when patients leave hospital and continue for as long as they are needed.
Now Galway people are being encouraged to ask their local representatives to sign an online pledge on irishheart.ie/advocacy to ensure €1.2million in crucial annual funding is made available.
The Irish Heart Foundation currently receives just 8.6% of this to fund patient support services nationwide, which it says is inadequate to help the current volume of patients.
Galway woman Maura Canning’s severely high blood pressure was detected in the Irish Heart Foundation’s Mobile Health Unit, stationed at a Women in Agriculture conference in Killarney in 2012.
By the time she got to the emergency department, it was 226 over 118 and she said doctors were amazed she had not had a stroke or heart attack.
She is now an advocate for having blood pressure, cholesterol and bloods checked and gets hers checked every six months with her GP or consultant.
Maura uses the Irish Heart Foundation information leaflets to gain an understanding of healthy eating, the food pyramid and recipes to help lower her cholesterol as well as managing stress and blood pressure.
“Many people live with stress which can have a negative impact on your cardiac health,” said the Loughrea-based farmer, 53.
“It’s very important to take time out - whether it be a nail or hair appointment, or meeting with friends, managing stress is really important.
“I like to keep fit, do bootcamps and meditation. Life can get in the way managing multiple priorities but make time for yourself.
“I think it would be awful for patients if these services were discontinued as so many patients are fearful after leaving hospital and finding they have no support.”
The services reduce costs for the State every year by supporting patients to continue living in their homes rather than requiring nursing home care or being readmitted to hospital - but only a fraction of this work is State-funded, says the charity’s Director of Advocacy and Patient Support, Chris Macey.
“Nationally, 80,000 heart and stroke patients are discharged from hospital every year, or one every seven minutes, in many cases to a bleak and uncertain future,” he said.
“One in three of all stroke patients returning home are being referred in to our services, whilst we are also supporting thousands of heart patients.
“These people cannot simply return to the lives they led before and desperately need the unique pathway of support services that the Irish Heart Foundation provides.
“We are doing our utmost with our resources to ensure that people can make the most of life after a stroke or heart diagnosis, but we cannot guarantee continued delivery of these services.”
Mr Macey says stroke patients leaving hospital often feel abandoned – and many heart failure patients end up in a revolving-door system where they need to be re-admitted.
“Our range of services, described by patients as a lifeline, reduce the need for admission to hospitals and nursing homes. A heart disease diagnosis or stroke often leads to post traumatic stress disorder. But the counselling we provide is the only psychological support available to many patients.
“People are denied basic services and it is appalling.”
In addition to counselling, the Irish Heart Foundation provides nurse-led needs assessments, weekly support calls, back-to-work programmes, fatigue management, peer-to-peer support services, social interaction and online exercise groups. Patients also have access to a Nurse Support Line to provide medical advice.
Once they sign the pledge, elected representatives’ names will appear on irishheart.ie/
