At the forefront of everything we do are people – people living with cardiovascular disease, people treating cardiovascular disease, people working to prevent cardiovascular disease… We are here to tell their stories in an effort to help others live longer, happier, healthier lives.
Storytelling
The beat of change: rheumatic heart disease in Mozambique
Reforming rural healthcare: hypertension in Kenya
From small steps to systemic shifts
Voices of Chagas: A disease that knows no borders
HEART HEROES
Cardiologists, healthcare professionals, policymakers, patients and their family members and friends are the heroes among us – battling, treating and beating heart disease.
Throughout the year, WHF celebrates Heart Heroes by writing the unique stories of people and teams dedicated and committed to improving cardiac health and reducing cardiovascular disease.
Beats Of change
Heart disease is the leading cause of death around the world, yet its impact is not evenly felt. Some communities face greater risks and fewer resources, making the journey to prevention, treatment, and recovery much harder. But behind every statistic is a human story—and it’s through these stories that real change begins.
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Happy Hearts, Happy Minds
The link between mental health and cardiovascular disease is undeniable, yet often overlooked. Conditions like depression, anxiety, and stress not only influence how we feel but also affect how our hearts function. Poor mental health can lead to lifestyle habits that increase the risk of heart disease, and in turn, living with a heart condition can worsen mental health due to the stress of managing a chronic illness.
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USE ❤️ TO BREATHE
Pulmonary hypertension is a type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is one form of pulmonary hypertension, where blood vessels in the lungs are narrowed, blocked or destroyed1. It is a rare, life-threatening disease with a poor prognosis.
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Use ❤️ to Act Now on Angina
More than 100 million people globally are affected by angina, which manifests in a variety of ways. For this reason, symptoms may be hard to recognize and patients often remain undiagnosed and untreated.
This global campaign aims to increase awareness of angina and its symptoms in order to facilitate early detection and implement optimal angina management.
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USE ❤️ TO stop flu
Seasonal influenza, commonly called the flu, is an acute respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses which circulate in all parts of the world. Following the onset of infection, people with cardiovascular disease are at higher risk of stroke and heart attacks.
This global campaign aims to increase awareness of the risks caused by the flu for people with cardiovascular disease and its most cost-effective preventive action: influenza vaccination.
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Use ❤️ to Season with Sense
Unhealthy diets are a leading global public health risk, contributing to a rise in obesity and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. In the current food environment, dietary patterns have shifted, and people are consuming more foods high in saturated fats, trans fat, sugar or sodium.
This global campaign aims to make more people aware of the negative effects that consuming too much sodium can have on our health.
Colours to Save Hearts
RHD is the most commonly acquired heart disease in people under 25
Colours to Save Hearts is an initiative aimed at raising awareness of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) among children, teachers and parents, and educate them about the link between sore throat and rheumatic heart disease, how to recognise symptoms and what to do when they first appear.
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Heart to Heart
Inviting conversation to change our ways and beat CVD
Heart to Heart is a new series of debates which bring together expert voices from different sectors and disciplines around the world. As the leader of the global heart community, we want to open a conversation about changing our ways as societies and individuals to beat cardiovascular disease. And as CVD continues to be the biggest cause of death on the planet, it’s the world’s most urgent conversation to have.
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GUARDIANS FOR HEALTH Lighthouse Award
Improving cardiovascular and renal outcomes in people with type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is one of the leading causes of premature cardiovascular mortality and a significant risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney disease. However, less than 10% of people living with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease receive all guideline-recommended treatments.
This award, funded by Boehringer Ingelheim, recognizes healthcare professionals’ efforts to reduce the burden of cardiovascular and kidney disease in type 2 diabetes.
Learn more & Apply
World Heart Podcast
Conversations from the Heart, presented by WHF Senior Science Advisor Dr Pablo Perel and Communications Director Borjana Pervan
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World Heart Awards
The World Heart Awards are all about celebrating organizations and individuals who have gone above and beyond in their quest to fight cardiovascular disease and promote heart health around the world.
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World Heart Grants
Our World Heart Grants support our Members’ efforts to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease in their communities, reduce its burden and impact, and help people live longer, healthier lives.
Learn moreUpcoming health awareness days
View Events Calendar14 November 2025
World Diabetes Day
26 November 2025
Iron Deficiency Day
30 January 2026
World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day
Latest News
COVID-19 and the Heart: New Evidence Highlights Lasting Risks
Coming up to five years since the emergence of COVID-19, the world continues to experience its long-term consequences. While the acute phase of the pandemic has eased, growing evidence shows that the virus has left a persistent cardiovascular imprint. Major studies published in 2025 shed new light on how COVID-19 affects the heart and blood […]
Diabetes and Heart Health: Advancing Integrated Care in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
This statement was submitted to address agenda item 4.i – Addressing Diabetes as a Public Health Challenge in the Eastern Mediterranean – at the Seventy-Second Session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean Honourable Chair, Distinguished Delegates, The World Heart Federation applauds the World Health Organization and Member States for the strides made […]
Diabetes
Climate Action for Heart Health: Towards Climate-Resilient Health Systems in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
This statement was submitted for the session Operational Action Plan for Climate Change and Health at the Seventy-Second Session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean Honourable Chair, Distinguished Delegates, The World Heart Federation commends WHO and Member States for the progress made in implementing the Regional Framework for Action on Climate […]
Climate Change
Protecting Hearts in Crisis: Addressing NCDs in Emergencies in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
This statement was submitted for the session Emergencies in the Eastern Mediterranean at the Seventy-Second Session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean Honourable Chair, Distinguished Delegates, The World Heart Federation commends WHO and Member States for the strides made in implementing the Regional Framework for Action on Addressing Noncommunicable Diseases in […]
Noncommunicable Diseases
