Legacy of love: Shane Warne Legacy bring lifesaving heart checks to SA for AFL’s Gather Round
The Shane Warne Legacy will offer free heart checks to footy fans at Gather Round – an initiative that makes the late spin king’s kids incredibly proud.
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The legacy of Shane Warne lives on in Adelaide with plans to save lives by screening at least 9000 Gather Round fans for heart risks.
The state government, the Shane Warne Legacy, SiSU Health and Flinders University will
offer free Shane Warne Legacy Heart Checks at the Gather Round games at Adelaide Oval, Norwood and Mt Barker as well as in Elder Park between April 4-7.
Warne’s son Jackson said it was an honour to bring the life-saving initiative to SA after its success at last year’s MCG Boxing Day Test.
“The whole family is very proud of what the Shane Warne Legacy has achieved, it has turned such a negative into a positive,” he said.
“People were saying at the Boxing Day Test they probably would not have had the screening done if not for the Shane Warne Legacy. Then to hear people say Shane Warne saved my life is the most incredible thing.
“Dad‘s got so many happy memories here, he had Amazing Adelaide, it’s Gather Round, if we can just get as much as these heart checks out to as many Australians as possible, that’s a positive for us.
“Its gonna be a great week, we’re so excited to be here and to save lives.”
He urged all footy fans to get around the initiative and take their health into their own hands.
“Cardiovascular disease is one of the most curable and preventable in the world, it directly correlates back to your lifestyle and your habits,” he said.
“It’s a free, non-invasive four minute heart test, you can keep your clothes on and in under five minutes you’ll know your numbers.
“Once you know your numbers, it’s about owning them and being accountable for your lifestyle and habits.”
Warne says he hopes to test at least half a million Australians by the end of the year.
“That’s our goal, dad always said aim big, dream big, be delusional because that’s how he was,” he said.
“I think we’re actually at over 100,000 tests overall so if we can get that 9000 at the end of the week that helps.
“We’re trying to save as many lives as possible and I think we’re on the right track.”
Warne’s daughter Brooke said: “It is incredible for Dad to live on through this legacy in such a positive way, to encourage people to look after themselves – Dad was always about putting other people first.
“We saw Dad as invincible and for something to happen to him makes you realise it can happen to anybody.
“Stories we have heard since the Boxing Day Test screenings show it has literally saved people’s lives – it is incredible for Dad to be having this positive impact.”
Participants will be screened for cardiovascular and metabolic health risk indicators including blood pressure, heart rate, heart “age”, BMI, diabetes risk, blood sugar levels and cholesterol and triglycerides.
Thirty-six machines will be in use but will be packed up at three-quarter time so fans are urged to get screened early. Tests take four minutes and results are available immediately.
The Shane Warne Legacy was founded in 2023 in response to the spin king’s tragic death from a heart attack in March 2022 aged 52.
Warne had strong connections to Adelaide, where he spent years training at the Australian Cricket Academy and delivered memorable performances at Adelaide Oval. These include the “Amazing Adelaide” Test match in the 2006 Ashes, commemorated in the Oval’s Avenue of Honour.
The cricket superstar also loved his football and was a mad St Kilda fan, having played 15 games for them at under-19 level.
Shane Warne Legacy chief executive Helen Nolan said the heart check initiative debuted during the MCG Boxing Day Test, attracting more than 7600 participants over four days.
Data showed a quarter of those tested had high blood pressure and a third were at risk of developing type 2 diabetes over the next five years.
“We’re excited to transform this into the largest health screening event in Australia to date, aiming to promote better health and longevity for all,” she said.
“We are bringing the test to the people. I urge everyone attending Gather Round to spend just four minutes taking this essential screening test.”
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Originally published as Legacy of love: Shane Warne Legacy bring lifesaving heart checks to SA for AFL’s Gather Round
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