Cricket Australia (CA) and the Shane Warne Legacy (SWL) will continue to raise awareness for heart health at the NRMA Insurance Boxing Day Test Match for the next two years.
Fans will once again be able to take a free Shane Warne Legacy Health Check, provided by SiSU Health and supported by the Victorian Government, at the Boxing Day Test with 52 stations being placed in and around the MCG in honour of the age Shane was when he passed away.
The SWL Health Check is a free quick and easy self-serve medical grade health check which measures key health metrics such as blood pressure, body composition, BMI, resting heart rate and an estimate of heart age helping participants understand their risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.
This year the SWL Health Checks will also include a clinician led on-the-spot blood glucose and cholesterol check for higher risk participants.
The partnership between CA and SWL was launched at last year’s Boxing Day Test where more than 7,600 people completed a SWL Health Check with a further 21,336 people taking the test at Priceline Pharmacies around the country.
In addition to the SWL Health Checks, fans are again encouraged to wear a floppy hat to each day of the Boxing Day Test paying homage to a look made iconic by Warne as well as tipping their hat to Warne at 3.50pm in a nod to his Test cap number.
“We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with the Shane Warne Legacy around the NRMA Insurance Boxing Day Test to honour Shane and raise awareness of heart health,” said Cricket Australia chief executive officer Nick Hockley.
“Last year it was wonderful to see so many people taking a test, wearing their floppy hats and tipping their hat at 3.50pm to honour Shane.
“As a result of a phenomenally successful first year, there will now be more than double the number of stations in and around the MCG and we hope to see even more fans taking the opportunity to complete a health check.
“Shane was an icon of the game, and we encourage all fans to join us to continue to honour his legacy at the Boxing Day Test.”
“We often find ourselves saying to each other, ‘I would love to chat to Shane to hear what he’d say” And we always agree—he’d be humbled by the love and respect he’s been shown since he left us and completely blown away by the tangible impact the Shane Warne Legacy is having on the health of countless Australians. Making a difference was at the core of who he was, and we can almost hear him saying, ‘How good is this?’” said SWL chief executive Helen Nolan.
“Thanks to the incredible support from Cricket Australia and additional backing from the Victorian Government, we will be back at one of Shane’s favourite weeks of the year.
“We’ve doubled the number of Shane Warne Legacy Health Check stations to 52 this year and added Point of Care finger prick blood tests for those eligible.
“We’re constantly learning – and one thing we’ve learnt is that heart disease, stroke, and diabetes are often closely linked. By making healthier lifestyle choices, we can reduce the risks of all three and potentially prevent serious health complications.
“This test has helped many people do just this! It’s a no-brainer to take just 4 minutes to do it”.
