Around 130 motorcyclists took part in a fundraising ride in Co Down on Sunday, April 12. The event raised £2,000 for Heart Failure Warriors, a support group for people with the condition. Organizers handed out leaflets to riders to increase public awareness.

Aidan Flanagan, 67, from Downpatrick, helped organize the ride. He has lived with heart failure for over 22 years after diagnosis at age 46. Flanagan received last rites twice due to the illness.

Funds from the ride will buy toiletries and essentials for homeless people with heart failure. Some money will provide hampers and teddy bears to children hospitalized with the condition.

Heart Failure Warriors formed in 2023 when patients and families created support groups across Northern Ireland. The groups operate in multiple hospital trusts. The organization became a finalist in the All-Island Healthcare Excellence Awards for Best Supporting Service.

Flanagan attends a group in Newtownards with eight regular members. He had not seen a cardiologist for 15 years before joining. The group arranged an appointment that put him on advanced medication.

The British Heart Foundation states more than one million people in the UK have heart failure. Cases are projected to double by 2040.