Broadcaster Marty Morrissey in blood pressure check appeal after family deaths
The GAA commentator said their deaths fuelled his acute awareness of cardiac health as he backed the Irish Heart Foundation's Before Damage is Done campaign.
The Gaelic games correspondent, from Quilty in Co Clare, said: 'Sometimes we're a bit careless about it, 'ah, we'll be grand'.
'But we do need to be far more aware of our own health. You are the best judge of anything that is wrong with you, so don't dismiss it – because your body is telling you something, and sometimes we ignore it or don't want to know about it.
'In the GAA world, we have black cards, red cards and yellow cards. If you get the yellow card, you take the warning.
'When you get your blood pressure checked, and it's high, that's your chance to take the warning and do something about it. Sometimes people don't get any warning.
'Once you're over 50 you need to be getting everything checked.'
Mr Morrissey, whose dad Martin died of a sudden heart attack in 2004, was speaking as new research by the national stroke and heart charity showed a drop in understanding of the risk of stroke and heart disease from untreated high blood pressure.
Last month's online survey of 1,000 people, by Core Research, reveals just 49% had their blood pressure checked in the last six months, compared to 57% in November 2023.
Only 67% believe untreated blood pressure creates a high risk of stroke – down from 78% in 2023 – while 64% believe there is a high risk of heart disease, down from 72% in 2023.
In addition, the data shows public knowledge has fallen in relation to how untreated blood pressure can lead to dementia or kidney disease, as well as damaging the heart and other organs.
Worryingly, 29% of people believe the signs of high blood pressure are obvious, yet it is a silent killer.
Blood pressure checks are a tool in measuring how effectively the heart pumps blood around the body.
Janis Morrissey, director of health promotion, information and training with the Irish Heart Foundation, said: 'The research shows an unfortunate fall-off in the level of understanding of the serious consequences of hypertension, or high blood pressure.
'High blood pressure is among the leading risk factors for heart disease or stroke and premature death worldwide. For most people, it is symptomless yet there may still be a misconception that symptoms are necessary to indicate it.
'That's why it is vital to get your blood pressure checked at your GP or local pharmacy, before damage is done.
'A quarter of people having strokes are under age 65 and are still of working age, so it can have devastating consequences not only for someone's health, but also on their quality of life and financial independence if they are forced to stop working.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
4 days ago
- BBC News
Coming out as gay 'daunting' - Armagh All-Ireland winner Shields
Armagh's Mark Shields admits coming out as a gay inter-county footballer was "daunting", but says it was "important to tell my own story" as he publicly discussed his sexuality for the first time. An All-Ireland winner with the Orchard County in 2024, Shields spoke about coming out in the GAA world at the Gaelic Players Association's annual Pride Bunch last weekend. Shields is the first active male inter-county player to speak about being gay since former Cork hurler Donal Og Cusack, while Tyrone club footballer Kevin Penrose spoke about his experience on The GAA Social earlier this says he hopes his story will help young Gaelic games players who are struggling to express their sexuality."I feel it's just important to tell my own story of 12-15 years playing inter-county, my experience of coming through the ranks, being a senior inter-county player in the male GAA environment," said Shields in a video posted on the GPA's Instagram account."It was a daunting task coming out, whenever it was, about 10-12 years. The culture has changed within society, within the group in Armagh. I feel that I can express myself more. The group are more accepting."The language used around the group is changing. There's people standing up for people, for myself in the group, whereas maybe that didn't happen that much before. I think the culture is changing within the GAA itself." 'I hope telling my story will help younger players' Whitecross club-man Shields says some of the language previously used in changing rooms was "hurtful", but that he feels more supported within the GAA now. "It's been excellent to have allyships and people advocating for it in social media, and around GAA set-ups, and the GPA," he said."I hope speaking out and telling my story will help that younger player, be it male or female, non-binary to express themselves in the GAA environment."Shields added that speaking to his sister helped him before he came out. "I had to find someone I trusted in, that was my sister," he said."I spoke to my sister a lot, and would have a close relationship with her, my partner as well. It's finding that someone you trust and you want to express yourself to them."I found that very helpful whenever I was trying to tell my story and trying to come out. They were the ones that stood by me throughout and supported me whenever I felt down or low in the dumps or in a dark place."It doesn't have to be in front of a group; it can be a one-to-one conversation with someone. That's how I found it easier, to have that walk on the beach, in a forest or just chatting to someone over a coffee. That was the easiest way for myself."
BBC News
5 days ago
- BBC News
The GAA Social with All-Ireland winner Johnny Glynn
This week's GAA Social podcast sees Oisin and Thomas joined by All-Ireland winner Johnny Galway hurler helped his county lift the Liam McCarthy in 2017 and also played Gaelic football for New with stories from playing in the US and in an All-Ireland final, Johnny and host Thomas share some of their more personal experiences with miscarriages in a discussion described by co-host Oisin as a "privilege" to listen can download and listen to the GAA Social on BBC Sounds here
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Daily Record
Emotional Russell Martin shares heartbreaking tale of violent and abusive father that shaped incoming Rangers boss
The 39-year-old is on the brink of being appointed boss at Ibrox and shared the tale of his tough upbringing Rangers manager-in-waiting Russell Martin shared the heartbreaking story of his tough upbringing with an abusive dad and how it shaped his football career. The 39-year-old opened up recently in an emotional interview with England strike legend Gary Lineker and spoke candidly of his complex relationship with his late Scottish dad, Dean. Martin - capped 29 times for Scotland - admitted there was 'too much violence' from his dad towards his mum Kerry in his household as he was growing up with his three brothers and his dad. After his mother moved out, Martin and his brothers forced his father out and they mucked in to fend for themselves with Martin cleaning pub toilets and working in supermarkets before moving into the professional ranks at the relatively late age of 18. Martin, who has also had to battle ulcerative colitis during his career, admitted it was tough but that it has also helped him in his role as a captain in his playing days and a manager. Rangers boss. Martin was the second youngest of four brothers, growing up in Brighton. The family home was lost to his gambling debts — and he moved them next door to a bookies where he would hone his footballing skills while his dad was inside punting. Speaking to Lineker in the Rest Is Football podcast, he shared the heartbreaking story. He said: 'It was interesting, colourful (early life and upbringing). It was busy. A house with four boys. It was turbulent. It was difficult in some ways but it's given me a lot which I'm grateful for. 'There was too much violence and it became a bit normal. From my dad to my mum. I witnessed a lot of it. A lot of my childhood was spent trying to placate the adults in my life. 'So very early on I recognised I had some level of opportunity to impact my dad enough for it to not get to that point. Or to talk my mum down from the ledge where it would go beyond and there was no turning back. 'It was very tense, a lot of suppressed feeling a lot of the time trying to read body language. It's actually given me in a leadership role, I was captain for most of the clubs I played for, and it's given me a bit of intuition around body language and energy and feeling so I'm grateful for that side, although I'd rather it didn't happen. 'A lot of it was trying to protect my littler brother and shield him from that. We were close in age but I felt very protective of my mum early on. "The problem with my dad was he had the capability to be amazing and really likeable but the gap between him at his best and worst was too big. 'And he was a big gambler so the day depended on how he did at the bookies and he worked nights on the taxis so you couldn't make a sound in the morning so it was eggshells a lot of the time and I spent a lot of time kicking the ball against the bookies wall. 'My dad was great in some ways but I'd never do with my kids what he did with me. He would drop me and my brother a mile from home when it was dark and make us run home by a certain time. 'He put a lot of pressure on us boys because he was a good footballer and boxer. On a Sunday you had the ability to make it a good day by playing well. 'He managed my brother's teams so he had it a lot harder than me. I tried to do everything in spite. To prove that I could do it. It built a lot of resilience in me, the ability to feel physical pain and keep going but also emotional pain and intolerance for it. My brother couldn't quite deal with it." Martin explained how the pain was a driving force in his career, adding: 'I used it to spur me on. It can be as big a drive is anyway - I've been in dressing rooms where it's the same and people do it in spite of their leader. 'My mum moved out when I was 15 and together we said to dad 'you're gone'. My older brother took us on and kept the house going. I worked cleaning pubs to try and chip in, I worked in the Spar and Co up the road. I was training three nights a week, we all dug in but it was a really difficult time. 'I was cleaning the brass on the door handles of pub toilet doors. I did it the first day and the boss walked me round to say it wasn't finished. I couldn't see it so I went and got an eye test and it turned out I was shortsighted.'
