DUBLIN, Ireland: An all-female crew is embarking on a challenging Arctic expedition to raise awareness and funds for women's heart health.

The team will journey 350km north of the Arctic Circle, hauling sleds across a frozen lake and sleeping outdoors in temperatures as low as -20°C.

The initiative supports the Irish Heart Foundation's 'Her Heart Matters' campaign, aiming to highlight cardiovascular disease in women, which remains under-researched and under-treated. One in four women in Ireland dies from heart disease or stroke—six times the number who die from breast cancer.

Judith Gilsenan, the Irish Heart Foundation's Commercial Director, is among those taking part.

"These women are taking on this challenge to raise funds and awareness as part of our ‘Her Heart Matters' campaign," she said. "They are doing it for the hearts that can't and shining a vital light on women's heart health, something which has been overlooked for too long. It will be extremely challenging and will push each participant to the limit."

The crew has already raised nearly 100,000 euros and hopes to increase awareness of the risks women face when it comes to heart disease. They depart from Dublin on March 13 for Kilpisjarvi, Northern Finland. For some, this journey is deeply personal.

Lisa Byrne, 45, said she was inspired to take part because her family has a history of heart disease.

"My dad Liam, who is now 75, had a heart attack at 50 and was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at the same time," she said. "At the time, he was only five years older than I am now. It's frightening."

As a pharmacist for over 20 years, Byrne admitted that work commitments had often taken priority over her own health. Now, alongside quitting smoking, she sees this expedition as an opportunity to make meaningful changes.

Research from the Irish Heart Foundation shows that only half of Irish women recognize the symptoms of heart attack and stroke.

Dr. Angie Brown, a consultant cardiologist, and the charity's medical director emphasized the importance of challenging misconceptions.

"Society needs to confront this embedded myth that heart disease is a male disease," she said. "Women need to seek help earlier if they have any suspicion something might be wrong, advocate for themselves, recognize the signs, and potentially save their own lives."

The expedition is part of a broader effort to ensure that women's heart health receives the attention and research it deserves. Those wishing to support the team's fundraising efforts can donate online.