Thousands Of Footy Fans Gather Round For Free Shane Warne Legacy Checks
Thousands of footy fans took a few minutes out of their day to kick vital health goals, with more than 9,000 free heart and diabetes checks conducted during last week’s AFL Gather Round.
The 9,126 Shane Warne Legacy Health Checks consisted of 7,267 self-serve checks on a SiSU Health Station measuring blood pressure, BMI, body composition and Heart Age, plus 933 average blood sugar (HBA1C) tests, and 926 full cholesterol finger-prick blood tests, provided by Flinders University. This is the second year these free health checks have been provided at Gather Round with 9,521 checks conducted in 2024.
Close to 2,500 participants this year were suggested to follow up their heart health or diabetes risk factors with their GP.
The free heart and diabetes checks were funded by the Malinauskas Labor Government in collaboration with Shane Warne Legacy, SiSU Health, and Flinders University.
Gather Round attendees were provided complimentary screenings for vital cardiovascular and metabolic health risk indicators, including blood pressure, heart rate, heart age, BMI, diabetes risk, blood sugar levels and cholesterol and triglycerides.
The primary goal of the screening initiative was to improve health outcomes and reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 Diabetes through earlier treatment and lifestyle changes.
The campaign this year saw the addition of new locations including the Norwood Food & Wine Festival, and Barossa Park. It also trialled revised locations at Norwood Oval, and outside Adelaide Oval, alongside a larger Elder Park AFL Footy Festival site.
Notably, the large AFL Footy Festival site delivered two-thirds of the total health checks alone.
This year saw a slightly higher proportion of males participating – 62 per cent – and almost 5 per cent more participation by visitors from Victoria, and 2 per cent more from WA.
Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing surprise at the quick and easy process and gratitude for access to important health information.
This year’s campaign equalled the highest customer satisfaction (Net Promoter Score +84) ever recorded across any Shane Warne Legacy Health Check activationset at Gather Round in 2024, averaging 9.4/10 and demonstrating extraordinarily positive support by the participating public.
As put by Chris Picton
Heart disease does not discriminate. It’s still the leading cause of death in Australia and around the world.
I was so pleased to see the thousands of footy fans taking the few short minutes to get their blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes risk checked.
These checks are a great way to make healthcare accessible and educate people about the importance of early intervention.
Thousands of people now have a greater understanding of their risks of heart-related issues and can take steps to improve their health.
As put by Helen Nolan, CEO, Shane Warne Legacy
Often, there’s no warning with heart disease — just as there wasn’t with Shane. One moment, he was larger than life — the mate, the dad, the brother, the cricketing icon. The next, he was gone. His sudden passing shocked the world and shattered hearts everywhere.
From that heartbreak came a mission: to help others avoid the same preventable loss. The Shane Warne Legacy was created to raise awareness and deliver free health checks across the country. Too many Aussies are unknowingly living with serious risk factors like high blood pressure.
Anyone who knew Shane knows he would’ve loved Gather Round — not just for the footy, but for the beauty of the Barossa, the sunshine, the atmosphere… and yes, maybe even a cheeky red.
Thank you to Minister Chris Picton for sharing our belief in this mission and making these free Shane Warne Legacy Health Checks possible at Gather Round.
As put by Simon Elliott, Head of Product Strategy, SISU Health
We’re proud to be supporting fans at AFL Gather Round to better understand their heart health and diabetes risks, and grateful to the South Australian government for its support of this preventive health initiative.
Seeing so many men and families undertaking health checks together highlights the rising public awareness of the importance of early identification through accessible screening and health literacy.
For the many participants who were prompted to visit their GP for a check-up, we’ll now seek to encourage them to do so.