Irish Heart Foundation the latest charity partner for Leinster Rugby

Leinster Rugby has announced the Irish Heart Foundation as its latest charity partner.

Selda Simsek, left, Laya Healthcare's Sponsorship Brand Manager, with Kevin Quinn, Leinster Rugby Head of Commercial and Marketing and Judith Gilsenan, Irish Heart Foundation Head of Fundraising, at the announcement of the Foundation as Leinster Rugby's latest charity partner. Picture: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

The Foundation was nominated by Laya Healthcare, a premium partner of Leinster Rugby. 

It is estimated that every hour, someone in Ireland suffers from a stroke, while hundreds more are diagnosed with heart disease every day.

The lives of these people are often cut tragically short or permanently changed. Almost 9,000 people die each year, making heart disease and stroke one of the nation’s biggest killers.

The Irish Heart Foundation works to prevent this, while also supporting and caring for people living with heart conditions and the effects of stroke​ and saving lives through CPR training.

For the month of August, Leinster Rugby will lend its digital support to the charity.

“We in the Irish Heart Foundation are delighted that Leinster Rugby and Laya Healthcare have chosen us as a charity affiliate,” Head of Fundraising, Judith Gilsenan, told leinsterrugby.ie.

“Their generous support will help us to continue our work to prevent heart disease and stroke and to be there for everyone affected by these conditions.”

D.O. O’Connor, Deputy Managing Director of Laya Healthcare, said it is delighted to support the Irish Heart Foundation during the month of August through Leinster’s charity partnership initiative.

“A key focus at Laya Healthcare is to empower our members to look after their health and wellbeing so they can be at their very best always and heart health is an integral part of that,” he said.

Leinster Rugby’s Head of Commercial and Marketing, Kevin Quinn, said it looked forward to supporting the “tremendous work” the Irish Heart Foundation does for people living with the impact of heart disease and stroke.

The charity was selected by Leinster Rugby after a consultation process involving the leadership group of the men, women’s and Academy teams and consultation with the premium sponsors and partners and the Official Leinster Supporters’ Club.