World Heart day takes place on 29th September every year and is the World Heart Federations and the world’s biggest platform for raising awareness about cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke. Presently, cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the world. In the early 2000s, roughly 17 million people worldwide died from cardiovascular diseases annually. The majority of these deaths were the result of coronary heart disease or stroke – that’s more than victims of cancer, HIV and AIDS, and malaria.
According to the World Heart Federation, at least 80% of the premature deaths (because of cardiovascular diseases) can be protected by controlling four main risk factors such as unhealthy diet, tobacco use, lack of physical activity and use of alcohol.
This year's global campaign for World Heart Day (29 September) focuses on looking after our own hearts and the hearts of our loved ones with the slogan ‘My Heart, Your Heart and Our Heart’.
Why?
‘My Heart, Your Heart and Our Heart” is about creating a sense of commitment around the common cause of heart health. It is a concept that encapsulates the values of World Heart Day. It is simple, warm, emotional and translatable. The aim of this theme is to educate, inspire and motivate people to keep their hearts healthy and, to engage with them emotionally to encourage our people to, share, hear, see, be informed and be motivated to create change.
This year, our campaign focuses on creating a global community of Heart Heroes … people from all walks of life who are acting now to live longer, better, heart-healthy lives by making a promise.
How?
Sometimes, when we’re feeling stressed and running around taking care of everybody else, the healthiest thing we can do is to stop and consider how we can take care of ourselves. Only when we take care of ourselves, we can take care of others better. So how can we take of our precious hearts?
‘My Heart, Your Heart and Our Heart’:
This year’s campaign will centre on a statement of intent –. a common goal – inspiring our people to make their own promise to keep their hearts healthy. A promise that people can commit to. A promise to which people can make their own individual commitment – their own promise. A promise that is centred on a common goal –that heart health is for everyone. ‘Because of every heartbeat matters’.
The theme for this year's World Heart Day is 'My Heart, Your Heart and Our Heart', which represents a promise to yourself, the people you care about and the individuals around the world to take steps in reducing our risk to Cardiovascular disease.