Brussels, 8 April 2026 – what was meant to be a fairly targeted initiative turned into a clear example of how effective prevention can be when it is made truly accessible and close to people.
Hosted by MEP Romana Jerković, with the support of the MEP Cardiovascular Health Group, the European Alliance for Cardiovascular Health (EACH) and the Croatian Hypertension League, the event dedicated to cardiovascular checks turned an institutional space into a real space for prevention. Participants were offered the chance to “know their numbers” through free checks of the main cardiovascular indicators, accompanied by lifestyle advice and simple physical activities.
In the hours before the event, however, there was some uncertainty. During the preparations the day before, we wondered how a completely open format, with no appointments or bookings, would be received. An initiative based on spontaneity, with an outcome that was far from guaranteed.
The following day gave a very clear answer.
Immediately after the opening remarks – with the participation of MEP Romana Jerković, MEP Adam Jarubas, a video message from the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, and Dr Ivan Pećin, Vice-President of the Croatian Hypertension League – the first participants began to arrive. And then more and more.
Before long, the space filled with a steady flow of people of all ages, with a particularly significant presence of young people (an aspect I found especially encouraging) interested in checking their health status.
In just a few hours, the initiative showed how simple, quick and effective cardiovascular prevention can be. But perhaps even more interesting is what this turnout highlighted: there is a real, and probably underestimated, demand for prevention. When the opportunity is clear, free and easily accessible, people respond. They stop, get informed, take part.
From this, a reflection inevitably arises. If it is possible to involve so many people in just a few hours, what could be done with more time? What would happen by extending the initiative to a whole day, or even several days? How many people could be reached before risk factors turn into disease?
These are particularly relevant questions in the European context, where cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of mortality. Moving forward means not only strengthening strategies, but above all translating them into concrete actions capable of reaching citizens. Initiatives like this show that prevention, to be effective, does not have to be complex: it must be visible, accessible and concrete.
In the end, these few hours represented much more than a successful event. They showed, in a simple but direct way, that when prevention meets people, people respond. And perhaps this is exactly where we need to start again.
Mehitabel Holler, European Heart Network
