The Galway based heart and stroke charity - Croí - has been left a legacy of €3 million, which the charity says will enable them to establish two "transformational" projects in the area of heart health.
The money was gifted to the charity by the Joe and Helen O'Toole Charitable Trust, which oversees the distribution of funds, left for community purposes, by the late Tuam couple.
Mr O'Toole died in 2019, six years after the death of his wife in 2013. The well-known businessman ran O'Toole's Supervalu in Tuam for decades.
Mr O’Toole’s career in the retail industry began in the 1940s when assisting his father and uncle in a travelling shop that serviced the region around Headford, Co. Galway.
In 1967 he opened his own venture, a small supermarket on Bishop St, Tuam which has developed into the current O'Toole's Supervalu store, the Palace Restaurant, and the adjoining department/hardware store.
Mr O'Toole worked with the Croí charity for decades and first supported them by selling Christmas cards. He then set up a charitable trust and Croí is one of the beneficiaries.
The funding provided to Croí will be used to buy two custom designed mobile health units, which will be used for early detection of stroke and cardiac risk. It will also cover associated staffing costs.
A further portion of the donation will go towards the construction of a dedicated stroke recovery service at the charity's headquarters in Galway.
Croí CEO Neil Johnson has described the bequest as a "once in a lifetime transformational donation" which will be used to carry out lifesaving work in every corner of the west of Ireland.
He said the funding would make a real difference, allowing the charity to expand its efforts to both prevent strokes and assist those in recovery.
"This mobile health infrastructure will bring Croí to every corner of the west of Ireland, providing free assessment and early detection of stroke and cardiac risk which we know will save lives," Mr Johnson said.
"The new Croí Stroke Hub will provide a much-needed community day program to support stroke survivors and their carer's - currently no such facility exists in the west of Ireland.
"This building will be a living legacy to the memory and kindness of Joe and Helen O’Toole."
Today has been designated World Stroke Day and statistics show that one-in-four people will have a stroke in their lifetime.
Croí says that 90% of those strokes are preventable, and the charity is campaigning to raise awareness of what people can do to minimise risk.
Controlling blood pressure is key and people are urged to be proactive from a young age. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits around diet and exercise is central to the awareness raising campaign.
The donation to Croí is the latest in a series of financial supports provided by the Trust to charities in the west.
Last year, Western Alzheimers received in excess of €2.5m for the enhancement of services it provides in the region.
