World Haemochromatosis Awareness Week 2023

World Haemochromatosis Awareness Week 2023 was a great success this year, thanks to all our members, the public, the media, volunteers and nurses around the country who shared their stories of haemochromatosis, promoted the week on radio, print or social media or to everyone who set up an information stand in their workplace or shopping centre or hospital! Tomas O’Leary, rugby legend and former rugby international helped launch our awareness campaign, along with his aunt, uncle and family members, who have a family history of haemochromatosis. Sincere thanks to Jim Jackman and his wife Mary, Maire Jackman and her son Robert for fronting the campaign for us this year.

Pictured is Tomás O’Leary, former Rugby player who is launching the week-long campaign for the Irish Haemochromatosis Association. Tomás (right) is pictured with David Beggy, GAA All Star and volunteer board member, Irish Haemochromatosis Association (left) and Robert Jackman Flynn (16) to highlight the hereditary nature of the condition – Haemochromatosis, also known as ‘Iron Overload’ is a serious condition in which too much iron is absorbed and stored in the body. It can be life-threatening and symptoms can include arthritis, diabetes, abdominal pain and chronic fatigue. About one in five people in Ireland have one copy of the gene with 1 in 83 Irish people being predisposed to having iron overload.

Our aim is as always, to ensure that as many people as possible know about haemochromatosis, the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment and how to get checked for haemochromatosis. As part of our global awareness campaign, thank you to all the county and city councils who lit up their civic buildings or momuments in red across Ireland during World Haemochromatosis Awareness Week this year. Over 200 iconic buildings across the world lit up red for awareness week this year! If you would like to suggest or nominate a public building near you to be lit up red for next year, do let us know and get in touch, miriam@haemochromatosis.ie

Dublin Convention Centre goes red for World Haemochromatosis Awareness Week 2023
Cork City Hall lights up red in June for World Haemochromatosis Awareness Week 2023

IHA News and Events

Damian Boylan is Cork’s New Lord Mayor

We would like to extend our sincere congratulations to Damian Boylan, friend, advocate and member of the Irish Haemochromatosis Association, who has just been elected as the new Lord Mayor of Cork! Damian has been an amazing public representative for several years and has made it his mission to raise awareness of haemochromatosis, having been diagnosed himself 23 years ago.

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‘We are Family’ HUK Haemochromatosis Event Belfast

Haemochromatosis UK are hosting a haemochromatosis in-person event in Belfast on the 7th October 2026. Everyone is welcome to attend. Local, national, and international standard experts will deliver a dedicated programme of talks in the beautiful Titanic Hotel. This conference is relevant to anyone affected across the UK and Ireland – even further afield. 

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World Haemochromatosis Awareness Week, 1-7th June 2026

World Haemochromatosis Awareness Week launches!! This is the most important time of the year, when we urge everyone in Ireland to recognise the symptoms of the nation’s ‘Hidden Condition’, often called the ‘Celtic Gene’. Sister and brother, Emilia and Teddy Eustace joined Alice Kelly, Anna McCarthy and Brian Keegan to launch the week.

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