British Heart Foundation

The British Heart Foundation is a charity organisation in the United Kingdom that funds research, education, care and awareness campaigns aimed to prevent heart diseases in humans. Their vision is of a world in which people do not die prematurely of heart disease.

The Charity was founded in 1961 by a group of medical professionals who were concerned about the increasing death rate from cardiovascular disease.

It is a major funder and authority in cardiovascular research, education and care, and relies predominantly on voluntary donations to meet its aims. In order to increase income and maximise the impact of its work, it also works with other organisations to combat premature death and disability from cardiovascular disease.

Activities

The British Heart Foundation focuses on three areas of cardiovascular health:

* Investing in research - funding around 1,200 research projects investigating and pioneering treatment in every aspect of heart disease - from causes and safer drugs to improving surgical techniques.
* Supporting and caring for heart patients - funding BHF Nurses who visit heart patients with all types of heart conditions in their homes. Providing defibrillators and echocardiograph machines for hospitals, emergency services and first-aiders.
* Providing information to help people reduce their own risk of dying prematurely from a heart or circulatory related illness. They produce publications, videos and other materials for health professionals and the public including children. They also advise people about how to improve the health of their heart through public information campaigns, advertising and the media.

The British Heart Foundation sponsors two Television series produced by Twofour, "Kitchen Detective" and "Kid's Fit Squad". Both series encourage health eating and exercise with practical advice for families, and air on the Discovery Health channel.

The BHF, along with Cancer Research UK, is a major backer of the anti-tobacco campaign group Action on Smoking and Health. [ [http://www.ash.org.uk/ash_xhe9wh4t.htm Who we are ] ]

Facts and figures

* There are over 260 BHF Heart Nurses caring for patients across the UK.
* Over 1,620 [http://www.bhf.org.uk/living_with_heart_conditions/how_we_can_help/heartstart_uk_training.aspx Heartstart] UK schemes to educate people what to do in various emergency situations (not just cardiac emergencies). More than 1.2 million people have been trained by Heartstart UK in schools and the community.
* In 2006 The British Heart Foundation had a gross income of over £100m [BHF Annual Report and Accounts 2006; [http://www.bhf.org.uk/annualreport/2006v2/facts_and_figures/financial_review.htm Facts and figures] ] .

Fundraising

The charity organises a sponsored skipping challenge through schools, in which the participating schools are entitled to retain 25% of the money raised [cite web|url=http://www.bhf.org.uk/get_involved/take_part_in_our_events/schools_and_young_people/jump_rope_for_heart.aspx|title=Jump Rope For Heart|accessdate=2008-03-25]

Other annual campaigns include Valentines and Help a Heart.

See also

* American Heart Association
* Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
* Heart Disease Research Foundation
* National Heart Foundation of Australia
* United OneHeart Foundation

References

External links

* [http://www.bhf.org.uk/ BHF Website]
*UK charity|225971
*Scottish charity|SC039426
* [http://www.bhf.org.uk/smoking How to stop smoking]
* [http://www.bhf.org.uk/food what's in your food]
* [http://www.britishheartfoundation.blogspot.com/ Official BHF Blog]
* [http://uk.youtube.com/BritishHeartFound/ Official BHF YouTube Channel]
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/bhforguk/sets Official BHF Flickr profile]
* [http://www.intelligentgiving.com/charity/225971 Intelligent Giving profile of the British Heart Foundation]