Cardiac Screening @ Westside Performing Arts
We recently welcomed the Dillon Quirke Foundation to our studios.
Thank you to the AMS Advanced Medical Services Staff for their Cardiac Screening services and thanks to all at the Dillon Quirke Foundation for this hugely important initiative, raising awareness of SADS and the opportunity to allow our Students access to invaluable Cardiac Screening.
Cardiac screening helps detect any potential heart concerns that may not show any symptoms. It helps identify any abnormalities early on, allowing for better management and treatment if needed. By participating in this screening, we can ensure that our Students are in optimal health and continue to pursue their passion for dance with peace of mind.
We hope this is the beginning of a long lasting relationship with the Dillon Quirke Foundation which will help to create awareness and access for the Dance Community, working alongside sport in Ireland, to support our athletes across all disciplines alike.
Dillon Quirke Foundation
The Dillon Quirke Foundation was established by the family of the late Tipperary hurler, Dillon Quirke, who collapsed and died during a hurling match at Semple Stadium in August 2022. Its aim is to reduce the number of young people in Ireland dying from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS) with on average, 100 young people dying in Ireland each year because of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.
Many of these deaths could be prevented by identifying heart conditions at an early stage – before they cause symptoms – through cardiac screening.
Speaking at the official launch of the Foundation earlier this year, Dillon’s father, Dan Quirke, said:
“After Dillon’s death, it didn’t take us long to discover how many young people in Ireland die from SADS every year. “Most of these deaths occur in those who participate in high intensity sports and could be prevented with better public awareness of the condition and the benefits of cardiac screening from a young age. “We have set up the Foundation in Dillon’s memory to create more understanding nationally of how cardiac screening can help save lives, and to provide free screening opportunities for young people.
Foundation calls for screenings to become mandatory and Government-funded
Former Ireland international Niall Quinn is the chair of the Dillon Quirke Foundation and speaking at the launch, he said that there is no doubt that cardiac screening saves lives.
“In Italy, all individuals who participate in sports that require regular training and competition must – by law – undergo cardiac screening every year. This has led to an 89% reduction in deaths from SADS since the law was introduced in 1982. Just imagine: if we established a similar system to Italy, we could save 89 lives every year. With this in mind, we are calling on the Government to provide free cardiac screening for all young people. And we are calling on the National Governing Bodies of high-intensity sports to make screening mandatory for young competitors – in the same way that wearing a helmet or other protective gear is mandatory for certain sports.”
(Dr)Shannon Kelly – Cardiac Screening
“I wanted to try something new on socials to try and let people know more about myself as an athlete, doctor and person. Wednesdays are usually my long aerobic miles in the pool and on the bike leaving me with hours of thoughts running through my mind. So each week I will be sharing my main questions or concepts that ran through my mind the day previous.
Yesterday my lecture in Clinical Exercise was focused on pulmonary rehabilitation following on from ICU admission. We discussed points on varying levels of motivation within patients on their own rehab journey. Some highly determined , some dejected & angry about their situation and see no light at the end of the tunnel. So what makes individuals so motivated and others loose their way?
My mind wanders back to my own journey. Diagnosed in 2019 with massive clot in my heart and great vessel as well as 3 further clots in my lungs.
I remember sitting in the hospital bed beside a 79 year old with heart failure and thinking that was my future life now. Motivation all time low for life. Luckily, in 2020, after a year of medication, no sport and long hospital stays I was given the all clear to recommence sport. A scientific coach told me it would take minimum 18 months to return to any level I was at prior. Hearing that was like a blow to the stomach. However something refused to believe those words. I researched my ass off about how to rehab my lung capacity and efficiency.
Suddenly I remembered my time dancing & singing simultaneously at Westside Performing Arts hours of rehearsals seen working on breath control, keeping energy at a high whilst getting out the right words, tone and volume. So I decided to apply this to my running and cycling. Singing my way through aerobic miles. 6 months later I ran my first ever track race at Morton stadium placing top 15 and hitting a 17min 5km, a pb at the time. So my thought this thursday.. don’t let people put you in a box. Keep the motivation high. It’s mindset
