Shane Warne Legacy, Latrobe Health Services and SiSU Health today, 19th August, announce their partnership to expand the ‘Shane Warne Legacy Health Check’ program nationally for another two years as part of Latrobe Health Services annual community investment of $5 million a year. 

Latrobe Health Services is a not-for-profit Australian private health insurer with over 100,000 members. It has delivered more than 160,000 free health checks in partnership with Shane Warne Legacy and SiSU Health. The goal is to deliver an additional 400,000 free Shane Warne Legacy Health Checks around Australia over the next two years. 

The program has been an incredible success with 70% of people who underwent a Shane Warne Legacy health check motivated to improve their health and more than half taking tangible action. 

Latrobe Health Services’ CEO, Ian Whitehead, says "the sudden death of Shane Warne in 2022 was a reminder that too many Australians are unaware of health risks. Through our partnership with Shane Warne Legacy, we are helping the community gain free access to important health checks for critical early detection and prevention. We are making a real difference in the lives of Australians particularly in rural and regional areas where access to healthcare can be challenging,” he says. 

More than 15,000 Australians took advantage of the free Shane Warne Legacy Health Checks across the 2023 Boxing Day Test at the MCG and at AFL Gather Round in South Australia this year. The partners aim to provide 400,000 additional free health checks to Australians, supporting Aussies to better understand and reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease. 

Shane Warne's untimely death sparked an increase in public interest in heart disease and heart attacks. Medicare reported a 62% increase from March 2022 to January 2023 in heart health checks. But, despite the increase, participation rates for eligible females and males remain at less than 2% of the total Australian population in the period November 2022 to October 2023. Average participation rates for all genders remains low at 0.7% for 35- to 44-year-olds, 1.3% for 45- to 54-year-olds, and 2.0% for 55- to 64-year-olds in the past 12 months. 

Helen Nolan, CEO of Shane Warne Legacy, says “we are so excited to announce our partnership with Latrobe Health Services and SiSU Health, which enables us to continue to offer the Shane Warne Legacy Health Checks to the public free of charge. This program has already made a significant impact, genuinely changing lives by raising awareness and, in many cases, even saving lives. Countless individuals have benefited from taking just four minutes out of their day. 

“High blood pressure often presents no symptoms, leaving many people completely unaware of any issues. We've had numerous individuals take the test purely out of convenience, believing they had no health concerns, only to find themselves in the hospital receiving life-saving procedures.  I recommend everyone just jump on our website and put in your postcode and take the time to do this today.   Sometimes tomorrow is too late,” she stresses.  

Noel Duncan, Founder of SiSU Health, explains “we're privileged to collaborate with forward-thinking organisations that share our belief in the power of screening, data, and technology to improve health outcomes. This initiative will undoubtedly have a positive impact on public health.” 

Shane Warne Legacy Health Check achievements so far: 

• Latrobe Health Services conducted an initial trial of 500 health checks in June 2022 as part of the Gippsland Healthy Hearts Study, in partnership with SiSU Health, Wesfarmers Health and Novartis. The findings of the Gippsland Healthy Hearts Study were published in the Australian Journal of Rural Health. 

• Throughout the study, pharmacists observed a 38-year-old man in Sale Victoria and called an ambulance. This man was taken to the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne and underwent lifesaving surgery.  

• Among the findings of the study, a massive 85.8% of participants had one or more cardiovascular disease risk factors. The project continued with Latrobe Health Services delivering an additional 2,500 health checks in regional and rural communities through local field day events and shopping centres from 2023 until now.  

• Latrobe Health Services joined forces with the Shane Warne Legacy in November 2023 to perform 160,000 free Shane Warne Legacy Health Checks at major events including the Boxing Day Test and AFL Gather Round, and in Priceline Pharmacies. 

• More than 100 paramedics were called to the MCG to attend to people who were assessed as requiring further investigation after performing a Shane Warne Legacy Health Check. Some of these people went on to have medical intervention. 

• Between 5,000 and 10,000 health checks are being performed each month through the availability of the free Shane Warne Legacy Health Checks across, close to 500, Priceline stores throughout Australia. 

For more information and to find out where you can access a free Shane Warne Legacy Health Check, please visit: www.latrobehealth.com.au/shane-warne-legacy.