Dillon
Dillon Quirke was just 24 years old when he collapsed and died in August 2022 while playing the sport he loved.
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He was young, fit, and talented. A promising hurler at both club and county level, with a bright future.
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Dillon was doted on by his Mammy, Hazel, and he and Dan, his father, were best friends. He was adored by his sisters Shannon and Kellie, and he was a great friend, teammate, colleague, and neighbour to many.
His life was cut short by Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.
Like many, Dillon's family didn't know what Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS) was until it visited their home.
In their grief, they set up the Foundation in Dillon's name to raise awareness and protect other young people and their families from the devastation of SADS.
SADS & Cardiac Screening
Shockingly, two young lives are lost to Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS) almost every week in Ireland.
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But we know cardiac screening can help to prevent SADS by identifying heart conditions at an early stage, even before they can cause symptoms.
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In the two years since the Foundation launched, almost 20,000 young athletes have had their heart screened through the Dillon Quirke National Cardiac Screening Program in collaboration with our screening provider, Advanced Medical Services.
Hundreds of kids and teens have been referred for further care, and dozens of lives have been saved across the country as a result.
We are advocating for every athlete to have the right to access regular cardiac screening.
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Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS) takes 100 young lives in Ireland every year.
Our Mission
​With your help, our mission is to save lives. We will achieve this by raising awareness and advocating for cardiac screening for young athletes, while we continue to screen as many young hearts as we can.
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We have never received government funding, and we rely solely on the generosity and support of individuals, community groups, and organisations to fuel our mission.
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Your donations go toward saving lives by screening young athletes, raising awareness around SADS and the need for Cardiac Screening, and driving critical conversations about the future and the safety of our athletes within Irish sport.
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There are many ways to support our mission, as so many of you have shown already.
Please join us and get involved if you believe in our mission too.
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