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Our purpose: to stop all people in New Zealand dying prematurely from heart disease and enable people with heart disease to live full lives

175,000
people are living with heart disease

That's more than one in 23 adults [1]

1 in 3
Almost 1 in 3 deaths in NZ are caused by cardiovascular disease

It is the leading cause of death in New Zealand and includes heart, stroke and blood vessel disease [2]

90 mins
Every 90 minutes a New Zealander dies from heart disease

Many of these deaths are premature and preventable [2]

$85m
The Heart Foundation has invested into research since 1968

News & Stories

21 July 2023 in Media Releases

Heart Foundation reiterates urgent call for a national heart health action plan

Cardiovascular diseases are responsible for almost 10,000 deaths every year in New Zealand with almost a quarter of those avoidable, increasing to half of all cardiovascular deaths for Māori and Pacific people.

4 July 2023 in Stories

Ironman contestant credits rigorous exercise regime with saving his life

Father and grandfather, Shayne Cunis, never felt ill but when he had a regular heart check-up one month before he was supposed to compete in another Ironman competition, the result changed his life forever.

30 June 2023 in Media Releases

Exceptional calibre of next-generation heart researchers

The next generation of cardiologists want to impact heart health on multiple levels – in both clinical cardiology practice and the research field – and ideally at the same time.