British Heart Foundation

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is a UK charity focused on cardiovascular disease. Its stated vision is a world where everyone has a healthier heart for longer. The organisation says it has funded scientific research since 1961 and describes itself as the UK’s biggest independent funder of research into cardiovascular disease. Its work includes supporting research intended to prevent, diagnose and treat heart and circulatory conditions. BHF’s research spans heart conditions, circulatory conditions and risk factors. Its public-facing examples and programmes include work on pacemaker technology, portable defibrillators, statins, 3D-printed hearts, internal defibrillators and regenerative medicine. The organisation also highlights CureHeart, a research project investigating gene therapy for inherited heart muscle diseases, and plans a series of Cardiovascular Grand Challenges. Alongside research funding, BHF works to influence policy and address health inequalities. It provides information for people affected by heart and circulatory conditions, including a Heart Helpline with access to cardiac nurses, and offers guidance on heart health and healthy living. Its website also invites the public to donate, take part in events and donate items through the BHF Shop. The supplied material establishes activity in the United Kingdom but does not specify the organisation’s headquarters, legal structure or ownership arrangements.

The British Heart Foundation says its research funding began in 1961. The supplied material does not identify an individual founder or provide a detailed account of the organisation’s establishment, so its early history is best described through the work it says it has supported since that date. Over the following decades, BHF-funded research contributed to advances in cardiovascular science and care. The foundation points to pacemaker technology and portable defibrillators among its research-related examples, and says it funded work that helped demonstrate that statins can save lives. It presents these developments as part of a longer record of research intended to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. BHF’s remit has also extended beyond funding laboratory and clinical research. Its stated work includes influencing government policy through national and local campaigns, tackling health inequalities, and providing information and support to people affected by heart disease. Services described in its materials include expert health information and a Heart Helpline through which people can speak with a cardiac nurse by phone, email or webchat. Its public engagement includes fundraising, events and the BHF Shop, where supporters can donate items. In its current strategy, the organisation groups its ambitions under three goals: Stop, to prevent heart disease before it starts; Save, to save more lives from heart disease; and Support, to help people with heart disease live longer, healthier lives. It also identifies strategic priorities to advance cardiovascular research, transform information and care, inspire support and income, and accelerate impact through its people, technology and culture. The strategy describes an ongoing effort to expand the scale and impact of its work. BHF currently describes itself as the UK’s biggest independent funder of heart and circulatory research and says it funds around £100 million worth of research projects each year. Its research covers heart conditions, circulatory conditions and risk factors. Current examples highlighted by the foundation include CureHeart, a global research team using gene-therapy technology to investigate inherited heart muscle diseases, and a planned series of Cardiovascular Grand Challenges intended to address major problems in cardiovascular health. The organisation’s continuing work combines research funding with health information, support, fundraising and policy influence.

• 1961

  Research funding begins

A research-led UK charity combining cardiovascular science funding with public information, support and advocacy to help prevent disease, save lives and support people living with heart conditions.

• Cardiovascular research funding

  Funding for research into heart conditions, circulatory conditions and risk factors.

• Heart Helpline

  A support service offering access to a cardiac nurse by phone, email or webchat.

• BHF Shop

  A shop-related fundraising channel featured on BHF’s website, which also invites people to donate items.

• 2021-08-25

  Tesco works with health charities to promote flu vaccination[5]Tesco与健康慈善机构合作推广流感疫苗接种thegrocer.co.uk

  Reported: 2021-08-25

  Tesco said it is working with the British Heart Foundation, Diabetes UK and Cancer Research UK to promote the importance of flu vaccination.

• 2020-02-04

  Amazon and British Heart Foundation team up to teach delivery drivers CPR[6]Amazon与英国心脏基金会合作教授配送司机心肺复苏malverngazette.co.uk

  Reported: 2020-02-04

  Amazon teamed up with the British Heart Foundation to teach Amazon’s Worcester-based delivery drivers CPR.

1. 1The biggest independent funder of heart and circulatory research in the UK - BHFbhf.org.uk
2. 2Who we are - BHFbhf.org.uk
3. 3Our strategy | British Heart Foundation - BHFbhf.org.uk
4. 4Our research | Heart and Circulatory Disease - BHFbhf.org.uk
5. 5Tesco与健康慈善机构合作推广流感疫苗接种thegrocer.co.uk
6. 6Amazon与英国心脏基金会合作教授配送司机心肺复苏malverngazette.co.uk