CASE STUDY

Reducing Incidents of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS)

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During 2024, over 10,000 young people were provided with free cardiac screening, thanks to the Dillon Quirke Foundation. This type of screening contributes to the early detection of heart issues that may lead to Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS).

Background to the Campaign

The Dillon Quirke Foundation (DQF) is a registered charity, which was established by the family of a young hurler, Dillon Quirke, who – in August 2022 – collapsed during a match at Semple Stadium and died of SADS.

On average, 100 young people in Ireland die each year due to this condition. The purpose of DQF is to reduce this number. The Foundation does this by:

  1. Promoting awareness of how cardiac screening can help prevent SADS;
  2. Providing on-site cardiac screening opportunities for young people at their local sports clubs (in partnership with Advanced Medical Services, a provider of on-site medical services);
  3. Advocating for the Government and the relevant National Governing Bodies of Sports to make cardiac screening a mandatory requirement for all underage players.

What Were We Aiming For?

Alice began working with the Dillon Quirke Foundation in September 2023. While the organisation was already operational at that stage, it had not been officially launched. We recommended holding a high-profile launch event in early 2024 as a means of attracting widespread public, political and stakeholder awareness of DQF and what it is aiming to achieve.

During autumn 2023, we undertook a detailed situational analysis and delivered a comprehensive communications strategy to guide the organisation’s work. We agreed the objectives for 2024, as follows:

  • Fund free cardiac screening for 5,000 young people.
  • Establish a benchmark for public awareness levels about the impact of cardiac screening in reducing deaths from SADS; and achieve an increase in awareness levels over the course of the year.
  • Build support for mandatory screening for underage players across sports disciplines where players are most at risk of SADS.
  • Increase awareness of the Foundation amongst politicians and build political support for the idea of the Irish Government providing free cardiac screening for all young people.
  • Broaden media interest in the Foundation beyond sports-focused media.

DQFoundation4.JPG Pictured at the launch of the Dillon Quirke Foundation were: Henry Shefflin, former Kilkenny hurler and now Manager of the Galway senior hurling team; Niamh Boland, who was diagnosed with two cardiac conditions linked to SADS; Dan Quirke, DQF Founder; and Niall Quinn, Chair of the DQF Board.

How We Achieved Success

The key outputs we have delivered to date for the Dillon Quirke Foundation include the following:

  • Research, strategy and insights: Building on the communications strategy work we did in October 2023, during winter 2023 and spring 2024, we planned and delivered a market research project, working in partnership with Ipsos B&A. The research showed that 71% of the Irish population are aware of SADS, but less than 22% fully understand what it is, and close to 1 in 3 (29%) have only heard the name or aren’t aware of the condition at all. These and other findings were incorporated into press materials for the official public launch in April 2024.

  • Content creation: A pilot screening programme was held in Dillon Quirke’s native Tipperary in November 2023. This provided us with an opportunity to capture photographs, video footage and other content, which we then subsequently used in the launch campaign.

  • Event management: We provided full event management support for the official launch, which was held in Buswell’s Hotel in Dublin City Centre to ensure strong political and media attendance. We developed the running order for the event, incorporating a panel discussion featuring medical experts and sports personalities sharing their own experiences of and expertise about cardiac screening.

BAZ00524.JPG Contributors to the panel discussion at the launch: Bandon hurler Michael Cahalane; Henry Shefflin; Tom Boland (father of Niamh); and Mayo footballer Saoirse Lally, who was diagnosed with a heart condition in February 2024 after cardiac screening.

  • Media relations:Prior to our engagement, the Dillon Quirke Foundation tended to secure media coverage only in sports-focused media. Therefore, a key aim of the launch was to broaden awareness out to other relevant media targets, including general news media, and family, parenting and health media. Because a key aim was to drive awareness of, and demand for, cardiac screening for young people in their local sports clubs, regional and local media outlets were also an important target.

    We undertook extensive pitching in advance of the launch date, and also issued advance press and photo-desk notification, ensuring a high attendance of media at the event (representatives from RTÉ, Virgin Media, the Irish Independent, the Irish Examiner and the Irish Sun all attended). We issued a detailed press release on the day of the event and, over the following days, issued tailored releases and event images on a county-by-county basis, resulting in widespread and sustained coverage for the launch.

    We provided a full press-office service to the DQF, fielding all media queries and briefing and coaching their spokespersons in advance of media appearances.

  • Political and stakeholder engagement: We advised the Dillon Quirke Foundation on how best to use the launch event as an opportunity to raise political and stakeholder awareness of their work and long-term aims. We identified the most relevant politicians to target for attendance at the event, and liaised with them on behalf of the Foundation. We secured the attendance of then Tánaiste (and now Taoiseach), Micheál Martin TD, at the event, as well as all TDs for Tipperary (the Quirke family’s home constituency). A number of other Oireachtas members also attended (nine in total). Alongside politicians, the event was well attended by key stakeholders for the Foundation, including senior representatives from the GAA, the Gaelic Players Association, the Camogie Association, the Irish Rugby Union Players Association, the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland, and the Irish Heart Foundation.

DQFoundation23.JPG Then Tánaiste, Micheál Martin TD (left) and Dan Quirke (right), pictured with participants in the launch event.

Saving Young Lives

We secured 82 items of earned media coverage for the launch of the Dillon Quirke Foundation, across national, sectoral and regional press, with an audience reach of 22.5 million. In relation to national coverage, the launch was featured on agenda-setting programmes throughout the day, with coverage continuing throughout the news cycle, beginning with a ‘Morning Ireland’ interview with Dan Quirke, and finishing with an appearance by Niall Quinn on Virgin Media’s ‘The Tonight Show’. At a local / regional level, coverage was secured in 18 different counties nationwide, lasting for several weeks in the aftermath of the launch.

This sustained media coverage and the political / stakeholder awareness that we secured for the Dillon Quirke Foundation led to the following key results:

  • During 2024, 10,128 cardiac screenings were provided by the Foundation, more than double the target of 5,000 that had been agreed for the year.
  • Screenings were provided in every county in the Republic of Ireland.
  • The screenings were achieved thanks to partnerships with 275 clubs across various sporting disciplines – and the financial support of a range of corporate partners, as well as individual fundraising donations.
  • In the aftermath of the public launch event in April alone, there was a 192% increase in monthly visits to the DQF website; and 174 direct requests were made to the Foundation to host additional screenings.

MEdia Coverage.png A selection of media coverage secured for the Dillon Quirke Foundation launch

Since the success of the launch, we have continued our work with the Dillon Quirke Foundation.

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