A powerful joint advocate for heart disease patients

Media release: Monday 7 April 2025

Heart Foundation and Hearts4heart announce partnership

People in Australia living with heart conditions have a powerful new advocate, with two leading heart health organisations joining forces for greater impact.

The Heart Foundation and Hearts4heart can announce today, on World Health Day, a new-found partnership which aims to champion the true needs and voices of people living with heart disease nationwide.

Under the new partnership, people with heart disease will have their voices heard by healthcare professionals and policymakers, leading to greater impact on heart health matters through initiatives including:

• input in the creation of a patient educator network
• involvement in training patient educators
• developing joint advocacy programs aimed at raising public awareness of heart disease, promoting early diagnosis and influencing health policy changes that benefit people living with heart disease
• using insight and feedback from people living with heart disease to inform advocacy efforts and policy proposals to government bodies or healthcare providers.

In Australia, one person dies from cardiovascular disease every 12 minutes.¹ While deaths from cardiovascular disease have decreased over the past 10 years, it remains a major cause of death in Australia, responsible for causing around one in four (24 per cent) of all deaths.²

Through a culture of collaboration, the Heart Foundation and Hearts4hearts will unite their strengths and work together to champion the patient voice, in the hope of transforming outcomes for thousands of Australians each year.

Quotes attributable to Hearts4heart CEO Tanya Hall

“Our partnership with the Heart Foundation is an exciting milestone that will elevate Hearts4heart's core mission of championing the patient voice. Together, we're committed to ensuring the lived experiences and needs of Australians living with heart disease shape healthcare decisions, policies and support services across the country.

What excites us most about our partnership with the Heart Foundation is our shared commitment to community-driven solutions. Together, we’ll be able to expand emotional support, resources and guidance to patients who urgently need them, making a tangible difference in the quality of life for individuals affected by heart disease nationwide.

Tanya Hall

Hearts4heart CEO

“Through this partnership, Hearts4heart and the Heart Foundation will have a unique opportunity to create a lasting impact by advocating for patient-centred care. By amplifying the voices and experiences of Australians living with heart disease, we’re ensuring that our national approach to cardiovascular care reflects what matters most to the community.”

Quotes attributable to Heart Foundation CEO David Lloyd

“The Heart Foundation is very grateful for this partnership with Hearts4heart, whose CEO Tanya Hall is rightly recognised both nationally and internationally for her tireless advocacy on behalf of people living with cardiovascular disease.

“We are committed to working together to develop a long-term partnership that leads to a greater impact on cardiovascular disease in Australia and ultimately better outcomes for people with heart disease.

The Heart Foundation’s partnership with Hearts4heart will concentrate on community-focused projects, including the expansion of the patient network, scaling it nationally to ensure that people living with heart disease in rural and regional areas alike receive the emotional support and guidance they need.

David Lloyd

Heart Foundation CEO

“The Heart Foundation’s partnership with Hearts4heart will concentrate on community-focused projects, including the expansion of the patient network, scaling it nationally to ensure that people living with heart disease in rural and regional areas alike receive the emotional support and guidance they need.

“We envisage this partnership will empower both organisations to achieve greater impact by representing the true needs and voices of people living with heart disease throughout Australia.”