Miss World Ireland 2026 finalist Loren Flynn is using her platform to shine a light on an issue she believes deserves far more attention: women’s cardiac health.
Loren has just completed her BA in Psychology in SETU and while she is originally from Douglas in Co. Cork, she has been embraced by the Déise and now works with young people with intellectual disabilities.
While the Miss World Ireland competition is about much more than a title, Loren says she wants to use the opportunity to start conversations that could make a real difference to women.
In particular, she is encouraging women to take their heart health seriously and to advocate for themselves when something does not feel right. This, she says is particularly important for women who can often be dismissed when they first flag their concerns with a healthcare provider.
Loren’s Heart Health
12 months ago, Loren began her healthcare journey to investigate heart palpitations, extremem fatigue, dizziness and general symptoms which were out of character for her.
Many months went by with many bouts of testing completed and today Loren has a loop implant recorder in her chest which records activity in her heart and sends the details recorded to an app on her phone which is monitored by her medical team.
While scary, this, she says offers her a degree of comfort to know that while the cardiac activity is happening inside her body and being felt only by her, it is being monitored by a team of people who will instantly know if she isn’t ok.
That loneliness that goes hand-in-hand with health concerns is something is keen to highlight, the loneliness and isolation.
Health challenges can affect far more than a person’s physical wellbeing. They can have an impact on confidence, relationships, social lives and a person’s sense of connection with the world around them.
Loren believes those emotional and social effects deserve to be part of the conversation too.
Loren’s Hopes as Miss World Ireland Finalist
She hopes her Miss World Ireland journey will allow her to reach women who may be quietly experiencing health difficulties, while also reminding friends, family and communities of the importance of connection and support.
Speaking on The Big Breakfast Blaa, Loren shared why using her voice for these issues is such an important part of her journey and why she hopes other women will feel empowered to speak up about their own health.
For Loren, the platform is not simply about a competition. It is an opportunity to encourage conversation, raise awareness and remind people that nobody should have to face health challenges or isolation alone.
Voting opens on the Miss Ireland app on Thursday October 1st and voting can be completed every 24 hours.
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