Hearty welcome for special 70c stamp
9 February 2016
Professor Risteard Mulcahy. Broadcaster and supporter Miriam O’Callaghan joined heart attack and stroke survivors including fellow RTE colleague and heart attack survivor Michael Lyster to celebrate the unique honour of a limited edition stamp celebrating the national charity.
The 70c stamp, designed by Irish designer Ger Garland features a heart shape against a background showing a graphic representation of a regular heartbeat. The stamp and First Day Cover are available to purchase at main post offices and online at www.irishstamps.ie.
Established in 1966, the Irish Heart Foundation is dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke and to educating people of all ages about heart health. IHF also provides coronary health programmes in schools and workplaces and co-ordinates the training of medics and the public in emergency lifesaving skills (CPR).
The stamp and First Day Cover are available to purchase at main post offices and online at www.irishstamps.ie.
A keen stamp collector and a man for thinking ahead, Thomas Bergin, 68, from Bray, submitted an application for a dedicated Irish Heart Foundation stamp for the charity’s special anniversary. Having experienced a heart attack at 38 followed by a quadruple bypass, Thomas has no doubt about the real everyday impact of the Irish Heart Foundation on the lives of people in Ireland for generations. He explained:
“Heart disease runs in my family and my own dad died at the age of 37 from a heart attack when I was only 5 years old. For me, education about prevention is so important and giving information to people when they are faced with a life threatening illness. Over the years the Irish Heart Foundation’s work raising awareness about symptoms of heart attack and stroke has been vital and providing people with the knowledge to live a healthier life so they can prevent getting the disease in the first place.”
A volunteer ambassador, Thomas is also chair of the charity’s national support group for people with life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias who have been fitted with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) inside the body, to deliver a shock when their heart goes out of rhythm.
Thomas added: “Support is really important for patients because you don’t think this will ever happen to you and when it does, it makes such a difference to have somewhere to turn and get the information you need. To be able to talk to a nurse or to someone who has been through it and come out the other side, can make all the difference.”
Barry Dempsey, Chief Executive, Irish Heart Foundation said: “We are extremely honoured to receive a limited edition stamp from An Post and it is a fitting testament to the 50 years of incredible life-changing work achieved by all the many people associated with our charity – our volunteers, nurses, prevention and support teams, researchers, donors, voluntary medical councils, Board and staff. Our charity has a straight forward brief – to empower people of all ages, in every part of the country, to live as long and as healthy a life as possible.
“Over the past 50 years we have come a long way but there is still a way to go – heart disease and stroke remains the number one killer in this country - and we face challenges like obesity and chronic disease in an ageing population. We are particularly concerned with those most at risk whether through social disadvantage, family history of disease or long-term disability from the disease. Empowerment is key and we will continue to lead the way, driving prevention and early detection in communities alongside vital care and support for heart attack and stroke survivors for a better quality of life.”
