It is not often that a charity closes a campaign, but it is a measure of the success of Croi, the West of Ireland Cardiology Foundation, that it intends to do just that this evening.
The reason is that it has reached its ambitious target of £1 million for a new coronary care unit at University College Hospital, Galway (UCHG). Indeed, it will be contributing £1.25 million towards the new regional heart surgery unit.
During its Millennium Million fundraising drive, which began two years ago, the charity has supported other initiatives, providing for purchase of equipment for Mayo General Hospital and UCHG, and funding the "Croi nurse" and cardiac research.
The charity's chief executive, Mr Neil Johnson, pays tribute to "the many hundreds of volunteers, donors, patrons and corporate friends" for their "enormous generosity". However, work will continue, as Croi hopes to raise £2.5 million to support more projects over the next five years.
These will include: establishment of a purpose-built, self-catering accommodation facility for relatives of heart patients who have to travel long distances to and from hospital; initiation of a community cardiac-care programme; continued work in heart-health promotion, support for hospitals in the region and commitment to developing the cardiac ambulance service in the west, particularly in Mayo and Roscommon; and greater support for clinical research.
Dr Kieran Daly, consultant cardiologist at UCHG, puts the charity's role in context. He says that rapid advances in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease mean that there is a continuing demand for new technology, and Croi is playing a leading role in ensuring that the people of the west receive the highest level of cardiovascular healthcare.
