Working together to beat heart disease

Published: 10 February 2025

Inspiring stories, generous hearts, and a life-saving impact on the heart health of New Zealanders. This month, the Heart Foundation’s biggest annual fundraising campaign, the Big Heart Appeal, returns with New Zealanders sharing their stories to highlight the urgent need to raise funds for heart research.

The Heart Foundation is calling on Kiwis to donate to the Big Heart Appeal via the street collection on Friday 21 February and Saturday 22 February or online to fund life-saving heart research. 

“When it comes to heart disease, we often hear the phrase, ‘That could never happen to me’ or ‘heart disease happens to someone else,’” says Heart Foundation Medical Director, Dr Gerry Devlin. “But the reality is that heart disease can happen to anyone. 

“One Kiwi dies from heart disease every 90 minutes. It’s still the single biggest killer in New Zealand and globally,” he adds. 

“Our work has never been more urgent. Funds raised help us to make a big difference, whether it is supporting research that results in improved treatments or investing in overseas training for young cardiologists so New Zealanders can access world-class care. 

“Outcomes for people affected by heart attacks and other heart conditions have greatly improved thanks to the generosity of kind-hearted New Zealanders and their support of our work, but there is still much to be done.”  

Gerry says significant gaps remain in research, diagnosis and care of women with heart disease. “It is an area we are investing in on a national and international scale, and we hope this research will make a major impact on women’s heart health.” 

Christina Hansen from Napier knows the effects of heart disease better than most, having lost her first husband to a heart attack in his 30s.  

It was at around two o’clock in the morning when Christina woke to her husband making strange noises. 

“I thought it would stop, but when it didn’t, I knew something was wrong.”  

She tried to rouse him gently, thinking it would settle him, but he ‘didn’t feel right’. She quickly realised he was having a heart attack.  

“I got him out of the bed and put him on the floor to begin CPR,” Christina continues. “Sadly, he didn’t recover.”  

The horrifying experience would later help her in recognising when another loved one was struck by a heart attack.  

“After a few years, I remarried,” she says. “One afternoon, I returned early from work, and my current husband told me he was experiencing stomach pains. 

“We went to bed, but he was still in pain, so I said we needed to go to the hospital. Halfway there, I just thought ‘I hope he’s not having a heart attack’.”  

It turns out that Christina’s worry was warranted – he was indeed having a heart attack. He was urgently flown to Wellington hospital to receive an angiogram and angioplasty. Thankfully, he recovered well.  

In 2021, Christina herself was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation – a heart rhythm disorder, and she is now particularly engaged in sharing her story in the Big Heart Appeal because she knows that it could one day help save lives.  

“Talking about what has happened to me can help educate people,” she says. “Especially those who don’t know the signs. I didn’t know the signs when it came to my first husband’s cardiac arrest. 

“The funds raised also help support education for New Zealand heart professionals and improve treatment for those living with heart disease. It’s an important cause that’s close to my heart.”  

Over the past 56 years, the Heart Foundation has invested more than $95 million in life-saving research along with overseas training for cardiologists, who bring their skills home to improve and save the lives of New Zealanders.  

For more stories featuring New Zealanders impacted by heart disease, go to heartfoundation.org.nz/big-heart-appeal.  

To donate to life-saving heart research, look out for the Big Heart Appeal street collectors on Friday 21 February and Saturday 22 February or go online and visit heartfoundation.org.nz/donation.