Welcome to the New Zealand Heart Foundation

MyMarathon is back for 2026

Walk, jog or run 42km over the month of May and raise vital funds in the race against heart disease.

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

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.

How dog and wife saved husband from unexpected cardiac arrest

When well-known New Zealand artist Greg Straight woke up on one morning in June, the 52-year-old had no idea his life was about to hang by a thread.

Cycling challenge helps fund new overseas fellowships for early-career cardiologists

Two early-career cardiologists have been awarded a new Heart Foundation overseas fellowship, allowing them to train at world-leading hospitals and bring specialised skills and expertise back to New Zealand.

Thanks to our amazing supporters, in 2025 we were able to invest $4.2 million in vital research projects and training for cardiologists.

Your donation will save lives

Donate now