EDITORIAL: Tipperary family making a positive impact on society

Not many organisations have made such a positive impact on the well-being of so many families in such a short space of time than the Dillon Quirke Foundation.

Over 10,000 young people have benefited from cardiac screening this year because of the Dillon Quirke Foundation which was set up in honour of Dillon Quirke who collapsed and died during a hurling match at Semple Stadium in August 2022.

The cardiac screenings this year have been conducted in every county in Ireland in partnership with 275 sports clubs, including GAA, soccer, rugby,boxing and performing arts clubs.

On average, 100 young people in Ireland die each year from SADS, a rate much higher than that reported in other EU countries. In an effort to reduce this number, the Foundation aims to promote awareness of the importance of cardiac screening in preventing SADs and to provide cardiac screening for young people nationwide. The screenings are carried out by

Advanced Medical Services (AMS), a provider of onsite medical services.
Among those who have been assessed by the Foundation’s screening provider this year, 243 people have been advised to undergo follow-up cardiology tests post-screening. This makes up 2.46% of those who have been screened by the Foundation to date.

The follow-up testing can include echocardiograms, cardiac electrophysiologist reviews, cardiology reviews and stress tests.
The effective screenings allow for early detection of potentially life-threatening conditions, which has led to timely interventions, including surgeries, that may have saved lives.

The Quirke family, Dan, Hazel, Shannon and Kellie have devoted their lives to the work of the Foundation.
We congratulate them on the tremendous work they are doing for so many and hope that they may continue to find the strength to continue their life-saving work.