Football fans heading to Adelaide for this year’s AFL Gather Round are being encouraged to take advantage of free health checks aimed at identifying early signs of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
The South Australian Government has again partnered with Shane Warne Legacy, SiSU Health and Flinders University to deliver the checks during Gather Round events running from Thursday to Sunday across Adelaide and Norwood.
Now in its third year, the program focuses on encouraging people to “know their numbers” by checking common indicators linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
This year’s campaign will feature former AFL player Dermott Brereton, a close friend of late cricketer Shane Warne.
Brereton has long been associated with the number 23, which Warne later adopted during his own career. Organisers say the connection between the two sports figures continues to help drive conversations about health, friendships and the importance of early screening.
A total of 52 SiSU Health stations will be installed across five locations, making it one of the country’s largest community health campaigns linked to a sporting event.
Checks will be available at Elder Park, the southern concourse at Adelaide Oval, Rundle Mall, the memorial gardens at Norwood Oval and the Norwood Food and Wine Festival.
The health stations provide self-service readings for blood pressure, heart rate, weight, body mass index and type 2 diabetes risk. Results are available immediately through the SiSU Health mobile app, with recommendations to visit a GP if any concerns are identified.
Medical scientists from Flinders University will also be onsite offering optional finger-prick blood tests. These tests provide information about cholesterol levels and HbA1c, which measures average blood sugar levels over the previous two to three months.
Figures from last year’s program show more than 9,100 people completed a health check during Gather Round. Around one in three participants were advised to follow up with a GP due to elevated risk of heart disease or diabetes.
More than half of those surveyed said they had not checked their blood pressure in the previous year, while more than 60 per cent reported making or planning lifestyle changes after receiving their results.
South Australian Health Minister Blair Boyer said the results from previous years showed the checks were helping people identify hidden health risks early.
He said many participants had been encouraged to seek medical advice for the first time after completing the screening.
Helen Nolan said high blood pressure often has no symptoms despite being one of the biggest risk factors for heart attack.
She said the organisation had learned through its work that many people still do not have regular blood pressure checks.
Dermott Brereton said the campaign reflected the values he shared with Shane Warne and encouraged people to look after themselves, their family and their friends.
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