Celebrating 60 years of life saving breakthroughs

Today we are marking the British Heart Foundation’s 60th birthday and I couldn’t be prouder to lead an organisation that I see save and improve lives every day. 

Our work has made an unmistakeable dent on the universe. The number of people dying from heart and circulatory diseases in the UK each year has halved since we were founded in 1961, and we can point to significant breakthroughs that have helped make this possible. 

Our research contributed to the first UK heart transplant. 

We were behind discoveries that revealed the cause of a heart attack, and we have helped to transform treatments ever since. 

And we’ve identified many of the genes responsible for conditions that cause sudden heart attacks and cardiac arrests, meaning people can be identified before these deadly events strike.

Thank you

Behind every one of these breakthroughs has been a dedicated team of brave, compassionate, and driven people with a shared vision of a world free from the fear of heart and circulatory diseases.

I want to use this moment to say thank you to each and every one of you.

Thank you to the millions of people and organisations who have supported us over six decades, whether it’s by leaving a gift in your Will or cycling from London to Brighton.

Thank you to the thousands of world leading BHF researchers who every day take us a step closer to new treatments.

And thank you to every single colleague and volunteer who has worked in our shops, organised a fundraising event, or shook a bucket.

Without the countless efforts of our BHF family I know that the prospects for people living with heart and circulatory diseases would look very different than they do today.

Never more needed

But I also know that as we look to our future, we’ve never been more needed.

Our mantra for this birthday has been that we’re 60 years young, and that’s because beating heart and circulatory diseases is still one of the world’s biggest challenges - we’re still a long way from outsmarting these diseases.

Tragically, one in four people in the UK still die from heart and circulatory diseases, and 7.6 million people are living with these conditions.

To put this into context, this week in the UK around 2,000 people will go to hospital having suffered a heart attack, 12 people under 35 will die of a sudden cardiac arrest, and 90 babies will be diagnosed with a congenital heart defect.

These diseases can affect all of us - our mums, dads, children, and grandparents. Like so many people, I’ve felt the devastation of losing loved ones to heart disease and stroke. They can mean that a seemingly fit and healthy person leaves their house in the morning, never to return.

As the BHF we simply can’t accept this.

Science is the answer

Just as science was the answer to understanding and tackling the epidemic of heart disease in 1961, it’s still the answer today. I’m inspired everyday by the potential of the science our dedicated teams raise funds to support. We’re on the cusp of making huge leaps forward.

Our work in regenerative medicine could lead to new treatments for heart failure in a generation. Our investment in research utilising AI technologies is already leading to more effective ways to spot those most at risk of a deadly heart attack or stroke. And our growing understanding of genetics could lead us to more personalised treatments, and even cures, for thousands of people.

To realise the potential of this science, we need the backing of our brilliant and dedicated supporters, colleagues, volunteers, and researchers like never before.

As we take a moment to celebrate BHF’s 60th birthday, my wish is that future generations look back with pride at the giant leaps forward we power over the next 60 years that save and improve even more lives.

Together, we can make this happen.

Help us fund more breakthroughs