Heart charity Croí, the west of Ireland’s cardiology foundation, in collaboration with HSE West’s Mayo Primary, Community, and Continuing Care, has announced the appointment of Ballina nurse Ailish Houlihan to lead an innovative, community based, cardiovascular disease prevention programme for County Mayo. The programme, which will be known as Heart Smart Mayo, will integrate with the primary care teams in Mayo, identifying and targeting those most at risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Ailish, who lives in Ballina and will be based at St Mary’s headquarters, Castlebar, is a nursing graduate of NUI Galway. She also holds a master’s in health promotion from NUI Galway where she previously held the role of regional research nurse with the SPHERE study at the Department of General Practice, NUI Galway. Ailish joins Croí having recently developed and co-ordinated the first primary healthcare project for Travellers in Co Mayo.
Welcoming the appointment, Croí chairman Raymond J Rooney, indicated that the ‘Heart Smart Mayo’ project is a very significant development in primary prevention which has the potential to change lives and even save lives. He welcomed the appointment of Ailish, who brings a wealth of experience to this important role which will directly benefit the people of Mayo.
Ailish Houlihan can be contacted at ‘Heart Smart Mayo’, St Mary’s headquarters, Castlebar, on 094 904 9055 or e-mail [email protected]
