The Croí heart and stroke charity in Galway city has officially opened a dedicated space for the existing stroke recovery day programme.
The Stroke Hub is a purpose built facility to ensure that survivors and their families have access to services in a supportive community setting.
The facility was made possible through the Joe and Helen O'Toole Charitable Trust, and will offer rehabilitation programmes, therapies and carer support services.
The trust 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 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.
Mary Lardiner of the O'Toole Trust said that the legacy of Helen and Joe O'Toole will live on through the Stroke Hub.
"We are incredibly proud to see this facility open today, knowing that it will make a lasting impact on the lives of stroke survivors and their families," she said.
"The Trust is grateful to Croí for the opportunity to continue Joe and Helen's legacy of charitable giving and to positively impact the lives of those affected by stroke."
The Stroke Hub complements Croí's range of services in stroke prevention, cardiovascular care, and disease management.
Croí Chairman, Mark Gantly said: "Dr. Ruairí Waters, Consultant in Geriatric Medicine at Galway University Hospital said the hub was an important milestone in stroke prevention and recovery in the West of Ireland.
"He said it was a critical resource for patients and their families, empowering them to regain independence, improve quality of life, and navigate the challenges of post-stroke recovery with confidence."
