Walk 42 km this May

Join MyMarathon for the fundraising race where you set the pace. Help raise vital funds and save Kiwi lives.

 

Sign up now

 

Staying well with heart failure

My Heart Check

Call the Heart Line

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

195,000
people in New Zealand are currently living with heart disease

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

30%
Almost 30% of 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]

$99m
The Heart Foundation has invested into research since 1968

I have a heart condition

I want a healthy lifestyle

I am a health professional

I am an educator

I am a food preparer

I am a researcher

News & Stories
9 April 2026 in Media Releases

Go the distance for Kiwi hearts: MyMarathon 2026

Heart disease affects one in 23 New Zealand adults – but every step you take this May can help change that. Kiwis are lacing up their trainers as MyMarathon returns for 2026, inviting people of all ages and fitness levels to walk, jog, or run 42 km (or more) throughout the month to support lifesaving heart research.

Read more...
7 April 2026 in Blogs

Can a pet improve heart health?

There's something quietly powerful about coming home to a wagging tail or a purring cat after a long day. For many of us, a pet is simply whānau. But research shows that the bond we share with our animals may go beyond the warm fuzzies – it could also help our hearts too.

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26 March 2026 in Stories

‘Second chance at life’: How brothers saved Henry from sudden cardiac arrest

When Maketu coastguard volunteer Henry Samson flew to the UK for his father’s 90th birthday in 2024, he never imagined his brothers, and two strangers, would end up saving his life.

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