Heart Foundation

About the organisation

The Heart Foundation is the trusted peak body working to improve heart disease prevention, detection and support in Australia. 

Coronary heart disease remains Australia’s number one killer, taking 51 lives every day. The Heart Foundation’s vision – that heart health will be achievable by everyone in Australia by 2050 – gives them a clear focus on supporting the more than 4.5 million people in Australia who are currently living with diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels,  

The Heart Foundation’s work includes: 

• Funding high-impact research, supporting both emerging and leading heart health researchers  

• Advocating to governments and industry for increased funding and resources for heart health   

• Building community awareness about living a heart-healthy lifestyle through public health awareness campaigns, accessible information and resources 

• Supporting health professionals in their work to prevent, diagnose, treat and manage heart disease 

Champions4Change program for First Nations people living with Rheumatic Heart Disease

The project

Through our partnership with the Heart Foundation, nib foundation is proud to be supporting the Champions4Change program. This is a national program delivered by the Heart Foundation, designed and led by First Nations people from across Australia who have lived experience or care for people with a lived experience of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD).   

The individuals participating in the program are known as Champions and bring invaluable cultural knowledge and personal insight to the program to ensure a culturally safe and responsive program that delivers meaningful outcomes. The initiative amplifies the voices of Champions, enabling them to share what it means to live with ARF and RHD, and use their strength and cultural knowledge to inspire, inform, and influence change.  

Why it matters

Through this program, Champions lead efforts to raise awareness about ARF and RHD, promote prevention, and encourage heart healthy choices within their communities. The program builds capacity, fosters collaboration, and provides culturally appropriate resources and support. Champions play a key role in shaping the direction and delivery of the program, while advocating for culturally appropriate efforts to eliminate these diseases. By sharing their powerful lived experience, the Champions educate, inspire and support their communities to take action in the fight against ARF and RHD.   

The disease is preventable, yet disproportionately impacts First Nations communities, especially women and children, and is a major contributor to the life expectancy gap between First Nations peoples and other people living in Australia. Heart disease is the leading cause of avoidable deaths in these communities, and Australia has some of the highest rates of ARF and RHD globally. Shockingly, 92% of ARF diagnoses occur among First Nations people, and the rates of both ARF and RHD have risen sharply over the past decade, highlighting the urgent need for action.