Our story
Our purpose:
To stop all people in New Zealand dying prematurely from heart disease and enable people with heart disease to live full lives
Formed in 1968, The National Heart Foundation of New Zealand had the aim of using education and research to improve the heart health of all New Zealanders.
Since then, we have grown into a highly respected charity with people at the heart of everything we do.
As well as funding vital heart research and specialist training for cardiologists, we work in local communities offering support, care and advice to some of the 170,000 people living with heart disease and their families.
We also have a range of education programmes and tools to encourage a heart-healthy lifestyle.
The life-saving work of the Heart Foundation is only possible through the generosity of our supporters, so thank you for helping us to fight New Zealand’s single biggest killer.
Formed in 1968, The National Heart Foundation of New Zealand had the aim of using education and research to improve the heart health of all New Zealanders.
Since then, we have grown into a highly respected charity with people at the heart of everything we do.
As well as funding vital heart research and specialist training for cardiologists, we work in local communities offering support, care and advice to some of the 170,000 people living with heart disease and their families.
We also have a range of education programmes and tools to encourage a heart-healthy lifestyle.
The life-saving work of the Heart Foundation is only possible through the generosity of our supporters, so thank you for helping us to fight New Zealand’s single biggest killer.
Personal heart stories
Busy grandmother grateful for every day
The first Claire knew of her heart attack was a sense of overwhelming tiredness. Three days later she was having life-saving bypass surgery.
Heart valve replacement at only 25 years old
Ben was nearly half a century younger than the next youngest patient on the ward.
Frequently asked questions
FAQs
What does the Heart Foundation do?
Our Vision: Hearts fit for life.
Our purpose: To stop all people in New Zealand dying prematurely from heart disease and enable people with heart disease to live full lives.
- Every 90 minutes, one person in New Zealand dies from heart disease.
- Each year, we fund around $4 million of leading-edge heart research and specialist training for Kiwi cardiologists, and it is all thanks to people like you. Over $82 million has been invested since 1968 but we still have lots to do. Heart disease is New Zealand’s single biggest killer, and our best hope is continued research which is not possible without the continued help of generous Kiwis.
- Our education and prevention programmes tackle heart disease head-on in the community, wherever it is needed most. The work that we do with young children creates a foundation for keeping hearts healthy into the future.
- Every day, we connect with communities across the country providing much needed support, care and advice to some of the 170,000 people and their families affected by heart disease.
Our dedication and commitment to tackling heart disease drives everything we do.
Why has the Heart Foundation launched a new lottery programme?
Unfortunately, significant challenges over the last two years, including the cancellations of our ‘Big Heart Appeal’ street collections, have impacted our fundraising by hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Recent legislation changes on the sale of online charity lottery tickets now enable us to reach a wider audience of New Zealanders. The purchasing of Lottery tickets not only supports our life-saving work, but also gives participants the chance to win big prizes.
The new Big Heart Charity Lottery will run in addition to our long-standing Heart Foundation Lottery, which has seen over 130 brand-new homes won in the past 29 years.
What can I win in the Big Heart Charity Lottery?
The Big Heart Charity Lottery has five major cash prizes to be won.
The top prize is NZ$300,000 which is drawn a week after the published ticket sales close date.
During the Lottery, there will be four additional draws, each for NZ$50,000 on dates advertised.
When you buy a ticket, it will be entered into all remaining draws.