Irish Healthcare Awards 2024 Winner – Public Health Initiative

For a small charity, the Irish Haemochromatosis Association has a big impact in elevating awareness of the iron overload disease, commonly known as the ‘Celtic gene’ due to its high prevalence in Ireland.

It is thought that around 20,000 people here are living with undiagnosed haemochromatosis, with one in 83 people at risk of developing it, and one-in-five carrying the gene that causes it.

Winning the Public Healthcare Initiative award was recognition of the innovative way the charity used social media as part of their year-long L.I.F.E campaign to educate and inform people about haemochromatosis.

The award also provided a platform for the organisation to continue to spread their message about the genetic disorder among clinicians and the public.

“We’re doing a lot of work already on social media because that’s where people are now getting their information, you know, young and old, getting all their health and medical information,” said Miriam Forde, executive director of the Irish Haemochromatosis Association. “So it was so important for us to be in that space and strategize around it, which is what we did in 2024.”

The charity was able to carry out much of this work thanks to funds raised from the Iron Games, an event which sees well-known Irish construction companies compete in two sporting events in Croke Park and The K Club.

Since their Irish Healthcare Awards win, the charity has also received a grant from the Hospital Saturday Fund, which will go towards a project in partnership with the HSE and Irish College of GP practice nurses, which will support these nurses in providing venesection treatment, which remains the most effective way to treat haemochromatosis patients.

“Being given an award makes you feel good about the work you’re doing,” added Miriam. “It gives you more confidence in moving forward, in doing all the right things in terms of communication and choosing the right channels.”