Congratulations to the HFAD 2019 Award Winners
- Best campaign overall: Italy, France, Slovak Republic
- Best innovative initiative: Belarus
- Best media coverage: Cyprus
- Best newcomer: Syria
- Best animated public event: Lithuania, Lebanon
- Best outdoor activities: Greece
- Best open house/ clinic: Germany, Russia
- Most patients involved: Hungary, Egypt
Belarus
Discover the launch of 'Second Breath'.
Belgium
For the 10th consecutive year, the Belgian Working Group on Heart Failure (BWGHF), Belgian Working Group on Cardiovascular Nursing and the Belgian Cardiologic League join their forces to organize the campaign on a national level.
This year, more than 35 Belgian hospitals have already confirmed their participation. The campaign will start on the 6th May 2019 across all the country.
Agenda and details will be release soon on the websites and twitter account:·
www.liguecardioliga.be / https://twitter.com/BWGHF
Many activities will be organized, such as:
- Lectures to patients, their relatives and the general population about heart failure: What about heart failure, epidemiology, symptoms, diagnosis, treatments, role of education
- Workshops about ‘heart failure’ diets
- Presentation of the movie ‘L'insuffisance cardiaque, un nouveau parcours pour votre cœur ‘ or “ Hartfalen, een nieuw parcours voor uw hart” (new edition)
- ‘Open house’ in heart failure clinics
- Panel debates with heart failure cardiologists
- Offering blood test, blood pressure measurements
- Performing BNP test
- Participation of patient representatives to share their experiences
- Patient testimonials…
Bosnia and Herzegovina
The HF Working Group of the Association of Cardiologists of B&H is organizanig Heart Failure Awareness Day especially on 7 May. We are talking with patients about heart failure, giving people information and notes about heart failure and continuing to talk about heart failure on TV, radio and social media for the whole week.
Croatia
On 5th May, we will organise our programme from 9-12h in the Institute of Public Health and from 17-20h at University Hospital Split, Clinic for cardiovascular disease.
We plan to:
- have open hours in hospitals and Institute
- offer the measurements of blood pressure, lipids, glycaemia, BMI, to test the smoking status
- inform our patients about the disease and possible prevention
- to inform press, radio, television, social media, websites in advance about activities and during the event
- to organize a panel debates with heart failure specialists and specialists in cardiovascular prevention from Institute of health
- prepare material about heart failure for patients
- involve HF patients group
- arrange the public event, during the days of town Split (patron, st Duje).
Cyprus
This year we have focused on the power gained through social media and the new digital technologies. Our actions will last for 1 week.
We have scheduled a TV spot video release, 2 testimonial videos in which patients with HF and their carers will give their perspective (these videos will be uploaded to the CySC facebook page) and 3 live-streaming events into which cardiologists will answer live to people's and patients questions.
Also newspaper articles regarding HF and participation in various TV and radio programs have been scheduled. All these will be tackled by various cardiologists.
Egypt
Our activity this year will be outdoor and indoor; the outdoor activity will start on Friday 3th May 7:00 am with the great participation of CAIRO Runners (Cairo's first street running initiative which provides mini-marathon experiences every Friday morning) to raise the awareness about heart failure and the importance of sports and changing life style to a healthier one.
The HF survey will be given to participants and collected from them after filling it. This will be followed by a speech from Professor Magdy Abdel Hamid, the president of the Egyptian Society of cardiology and the president of the working group of heart failure, to the participants about the importance of HF awareness, magnitude of the problem and the importance of exercise and adopting healthy life style in prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
The indoor activity will be at the afternoon and will be in our hospital ( Kasr Al Aini , Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University ) where a three hours’ session and meeting with heart failure patients and families will be conducted. The lectures will be presented not only by physicians but also by heart failure specialist nurses. This will be an interactive session in which some patients will present their success stories including patients who have completely recovered after LVAD implantation to the extent of explanation. During this activity, measurements of blood pressure, blood sugar, and lipid profile will be done for all participants, including their relatives.
Both two events will be covered by TV channels, radio, and journalists.
France
- Grenoble
- Saturday 11th May from 2pm to 5pm at the Grenoble Museum, 5 Place de Lavalette. Conference on ‘Heart Failure: When my heart is worn out’
- Tuesday 14th May, at Grenoble CHU. Activities
- Hyères
- Saturday 18th May from 10am to 5pm, Jardin Olbius Riquier. ‘Courses of the heart’ organised by the Léon Bérard Hospital, the Hyères Hospital Centre and the Toulon – la Seyne sur Mer Intercommunal Hospital Centre
- Lyon
- Saturday 18th May. 8km route
- Thursday 23rd May from 9am to 5pm at Louis Pradel Cardiology Hospital. Open Door Day for Heart Failure with several workshops: explaining heart failure, dietary workshop, workshop on relaxation, first aid resuscitation and a climbing challenge to take the stairs to the 10th floor.
- Martinique
- Friday 17th May day of activities. Workshops from 9am to 12pm at Pierre Zobda Quitman Hospital, Martinique CHU in Fort-de-France; from 4pm to 6pm, a walk with pedometers is being organised for the Trinity stadium
- Saturday 1st June. Conference at the close of the Franco-Carribean Day of Cardiology at Le Simon Hotel in Fort-de-France
- Nantes
- Friday 24th May from 12pm to 2pm at the Private Confluent Hospital. Activities on the benefits of suitable physical activity at the end of the Confluent Walk at 1pm.
- Paris
- 22nd May 2019 from 2pm to 4pm, Lariboisière Hospital. Surprise practical activities for everyone, centred around the benefits of suitable physical activity.
- Poitiers
- 22nd May at the Private Elsan Clinic. This is a chance for children to get involved by coming to see a free evening showing of a play about heart failure and physical activity. To inspire the children, a writing competition for pupils in Years 5 to 6 has been organised in advance. The 3 winning schools will receive a prize which will be announced on the evening.
- Rennes
- “No salt” menu created by chefs
- Toulouse
- 23rd May from 10am to 4pm, at Rangueil Hospital Hall. Activities with the Patients Association following the theme of ‘Screening in Heart Failure Monitoring’.
- Tours
- 16th June from 9am to 11am, Bois Gibert Centre. Nordic hike and walk. 6 km, open to everyone.
Germany
“Active Against Heart Failure” was established as the slogan of the campaign in Germany and a whole new information set was developed.
14 sites participated in this years´programme for people of all age groups
Greece
In Greece the Heart failure information activities will take place from 8th May till the end of May. Five cities across the country (Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Heraklion and Ioannina) agreed to participate in this year`s HF Days. The National Partner is the Hellenic Cardiological Society.
Public events are organized in those cities that will take place at 11th and 17th May. The activities include information stands in the city centers, public lectures and health checks for visitors and participation in a brief questionnaire about the knowledge for Heart Failure and major risk factors that contribute to that (distributed by European Society of Cardiology).
A walking tour, the HotWalk, will beorganized by Heart Failure Association and Hellenic Cardiological Society . The tour is organized to invite everyone to get active and enjoy walking at the historical center of Athens, combing health activity with monuments sightseeing, for a 3km distance. It will take place at Acropolis and Plaka area at Monday 27th of May at the end of scientific activities of Heart Failure Congress that is held this year in Athens, from 25 to 28 of May 2019.
Furthermore, the below activities will take place:
- TV and radio interviews of our members in all major local channels.
- TV spot with the moto Act on Heart Failure that major TV channels have accepted to play over the first week.
- Social media: create event on Facebook page of CY cardiology society and share it though event supporters and local influencers.
- Press conference at the Hellenic Society of Cardiology
- Publication of articles prepared by members of the CY heart failure community in print and electronic media throughout the awareness week.
- Walk Will be take place in Thessaloniki center on 11th May, ledby Board members of HCS (Prof Vasilikos and Dr Bakoyiannis)
Italy
More than 70 cardiac centres have declared interest in participating.
- An invitation letter was sent to all HF and Cardiac Centre Chiefs
- Some new material has been specifically prepared for patients and care-givers
- Save the date for the national press conference, Thu 9 May at 11:30 in Milan
Kazakhstan
Kosovo
Kosovo Society of Cardiology has decided to take the undermentioned actions for celebrating Heart Failure Awareness week in Kosovo.
The actions have in main focus the civilian population and undertakes the action of promotion for maintaining a healthy heart as well as being educated related to this important issue.
Kosovo Society of Cardiology intents to outreach the main municipalities in Kosovo.
Materials needed for the event
- Sculpture of heart from light material where citizens can write down their messages for the heart
- Heart Mascot
- Leaflets- Do your part, know your heart-
- Educational marketing/video messages
6 May
- Teleconference in the Telemedicine Center of Kosovo between Kosovo and Albania. Meeting with Minister of Health to discuss the importance of HF, the latest developments in Kosovo and the need to take and prepare protocols of activity.
- Lecture: Do your part, know your heart in care homes for old people. Medical teams will provide basic medical services; measuring blood pressure, glycemia, auscultation, giving advice on healthy eating and physical activity.
- Possibly a lecture in Elementary School “Faik Konica”
7 May
- Visit to SOS Kinderdorf, games with the Heart Mascot ,interpreting the importance of a healthy heart to the children
- Visit roma, ashkali, egyptina community through The Ideas Partnership to provide basic medical services
8 May
- Round table discussion: Development of new protocols for Heart Failure
Activities in the field- in the center of Pristina will be put the tend of HF group that will provide people with leaflets.
Activity with painting and sculptures for children with the topic: Love your Heart! (with the intend of involving children with Down Syndrome and children from communities)
9 May
Mascot and the team ride off to other cities in Kosovo, visiting Mitrovica and Peja.
In Peja, there will be climbing on the Via Ferrata (logo of KSC and the flag/promoting the importance of such activities to remain a healthy heart)
Meanwhile in Pristina, the team will provide basic medical services to the people (measuring the blood pressure, glycemia, weight and BMI, giving advices on healthy diet and physical activities).
10 May
Mascot in the city of Prizren while activities in Pristina are ongoing. The sculpture with heart will be displayed to the people to write their messages
11 May
Bicycle Ride competition in the Germia
12 May
March of doctors, young doctors, medical students and children in the name of HF day
Kyrgyzstan
Our plan for HF awareness days:
- Articles in newspapers
- Talks on Kyrgyz National Radio
- Speech on TV
- Presentations for Medical Students
- Patients consultations and presentations for them
Latvia
This year HF working group of the Latvian Society of Cardiology, in collaboration with patients organization "ParSirdi.lv", is organizing a public Heart Failure Awareness days event with blood pressure and heart rate measurements, 6 min. walking tests, NT-proBNP measurements, short consultations etc. in Pauls Stradins Clinical University hospital (see attachment).
For all visitors, printed leaflets with heart failure symptoms and main diagnostics tools will be provided. During this event, a short presentation about echocardiography as the main tool in diagnostic of heart failure will be given. We plan to take part in European Heart Failure Awareness day 2019 Survey as well.
Information about Heart Failure Awareness day activities will be spread via radio and websites. We are also preparing a new website dedicated to heart failure.
Lebanon
Due to the concomitant occurrence of Holy Ramadan month during May month and this will limit participation in the activities proposed, the Awareness activities will be distributed through May and first two weeks of June 2019.
The Motto for this year’s activities is: “Strengthen your heart even if it is weak”.
This year the HF Awareness campaign will be organized in collaboration with the Lebanese Ministry of Health and the Lebanese Nurses Order.
The activities will include the following:
- Press conference with the Minister of health, Lebanese Society of Cardiology , Lebanese Nurses Order and Media at the Ministry of Health on May 10,2019.
- Press release ,live interviews with cardiologists after press conference, TVC (30 sec TV advertisement on Heart failure) broadcasted on TV, radio stations and social media pages (MOPH, LSC, HF in Lebanon)
- Interviews with experienced cardiologists and nurses to be broadcasted on TV, radio interviews and social media campaign.
- Disease awareness lectures across Lebanon in hospitals and municipalities.
- Hiking for Heart Failure with a Lebanese Sportsman, mountaineer and explorer. He was the first Lebanese to climb Mount Everest and the first from Middle East to reach South Pole on foot. Will Hike Cedar Reserve at Chouf Mountains with Media coverage and interviews with patients and physicians participating.
- Cardiology Fellows Heart Failure activity that will concentrate on comorbidities in heart Failure.
- Outreach Clinics where volunteers from residents ,cardiology fellows, cardiologists, nurses and sonographers and ECG technicians will examine and treat cardiovascular patients in rural areas that are underserved medically. At least two will be organized one on May 4 and the other due to limitations on June 15.
- Nursing Workshop on Heart Failure over a half day will be organized in collaboration with the Nursing Order in Lebanon.
- General Physicians Workshop on Heart Failure. At least two will be organized.
- Raising Red Flags in Different areas in Lebanon near Castles or historical places.
- Heart Failure Booklet distribution.
- Facebook Live program on Heart Failure (Session on Comorbidities in Heart Failure, Session on Advanced Heart failure, session on New technology that may help HF patients (TAVI and Mitra-clip); Session on Heart Failure Management; Session on Diabetes and Heart failure)
Lithuania
Public events were held in the largest cities of Lithuania to spread knowledge and educate people. An event was also organised in Klaipeda.
Netherlands
For this year, we either have done or have planned:
- Survey on knowledge, attitude and behavior on heart failure in the Dutch general public
- Optimalization of the (potential) patient information on the website of the Dutch Heart Foudation. More specifically, we are making it understandable for people with low health literacy.
- National campaign for the general public on heart failure awareness; especially in high risk groups such as COPD and diabetes patients (in cooperation with national lung- and diabetes foundations)
- Campaign for health care providers to gain awarenes for heart failure (GPs, cardiologists, internists, lung doctors etc)
- Development and distribution of a patient journey heart failure
- Research on the role of loved ones in visiting the GP with heart failure symptoms
The Medical Spectrum Twente (MST), a large community hospital in Enschede, will participate in the HFA Heart Failure Awareness Days with a week-long programme involving heart failure education for doctors, nurses, patients, family members of patients and the general public. There will be a foodtruck and a cooking class to promote cooking a diet with a reduced salt content. In addition a local mini-symposium will be organised for allied heart failure specialists.
North Macedonia
For HF awareness days we will organize:
- Seminar on comprehensive approach to diagnosis and treatment of HF for General Practitioners organized by National Center for Family Practice ( 11th May)
- Education for HF patients for self-monitoring concerning worsening HF symptoms and sign and timely medical consultation ( first week in June) with educational materials for patients
- TV interviews of cardiologisst dedicated to HF during May-June
Russia
This year, the Russian Heart Failure Society won a grant provided by the Presidential Grants Foundation for non-profit public organizations. This allowed us to attract more medical institutions and cities to the Heart Failure Awareness Days, which started on April 30 by the Press Conference in Federal News Agency. Our campaign will last until the end of the May. Altogether 33 big cities and 55 hospitals and outpatient clinics will participate.
65,000 printed materials for patients were sent to our volunteers (doctors and nurses in the regions)
On 15 May, lectures by the leading experts on Free Access basis will be presented on the Russian Heart Failure Society youtube channel.
Among our volunteers, there are major centers, such as the Almazovsky Federal Center in S-Petersburg, Kazan State University Clinic, Moscow State University Clinic or State Cardiology Center of Bashkortostan , but also outpatient clinic in Moscow suburb, Municipal Health Center in Ulyanovsk or Cardiology department in Krasnodar.
There will be actions for the wide range of HF stakeholders.
For the public
Health corners: "Take care of your heart" for the population at enterprises, shopping centers, fairs (Ulianovsk, Arkhangelsk, Ufa)
For patients
- School for patients
- Open clinics
- Physical Rehabilitation programs introduction
- Education about major HF risk factors
(Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan, Azov, Cheboksary, Kazan, Kamin-Shakhtinsky, Krasnogorsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Moscow, N-Novgorod, Ulyanovsk, Omsk, Orenburg, Perm, Pskov, Rostov-on-Don, Ryazan, Saransk, Samara, Shazk, Stavropol, St. Petersburg, Sergiev Posad, Taganrog, Tomsk, Tyumen, Ufa, Ulyanovsk, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh).
For nurses
Conference for nurses, involved in heart failure care. (N-Novgorod, Ulyanovsk, Vladivostok).
For doctors
Conferences and lectures. Hand-on seminars
(Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan, Cheboksary, Kazan, , Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Moscow, Omsk, Orenburg, Perm, Pskov, Rostov-on-Don, Ryazan, Saransk, Samara, Shazk, Stavropol, St. Petersburg , Tomsk, Tyumen, Ufa, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh)
For Media
Articles in the regional newspapers, broadcasts on radio and regional TV
(Azov, Cheboksary, Kazan, Kamin-Shakhtinsky, Moscow, Omsk, Orenburg, Perm, Pskov, Rostov-on-Don, Ryazan, Saransk, Samara, Shazk, Stavropol, St. Petersburg, Sergiev Posad, Taganrog, Tomsk, Tyumen, Ufa, Volgograd, Voronezh).
Slovakia
30 April to – 28 June in 24 Slovak cities - "Health Markets“ in cooperation with a healthcare insurance company.
A booth dedicated to diagnosis, BNP evaluation, questionaires, diagnostics and distribution of printed brochures about heart failure.
July to October - Heart failure clinic on the wheels
"The car on the way to approach your heart“ - screening and disease awareness campaign in huit Slovak cities to educate and uncover undiagnosed HF patients
Syria
Despite the many obstacles facing our country, the Syrian Cardiovascular Association and its Heart Failure Working Group will participate in the HF awareness days. Our activities will take place during the end of April til the end of May.
Our planned activities will be per the following outline:
- In cooperation with the Syrian Young Cardiovascular Association, we will organize an educational meeting for the young physicians where important issues in heart failure will be addressed, including diagnosis, management, follow-up and prevention.
- To share the benefit and knowledge with other parts of our country, we will organize an educational meeting at the beginning of May in Aleppo. During this 3-day session, we will cover the most important cardiological topics especially heart failure, and try to improve the heart failure field in our country by presenting the most important changes in medical management of this important disease. We will discuss ways we can provide our best medical care despite the limited resources in our country.
- We are working on writing many medical articles in Arabic which will be easy to access by every person. These articles will cover many important topics in heart failure and how to prevent this rising problem.
- We plan to make stands at public places or small hospitals in Damascus and make people aware of heart failure by measuring the blood pressure, blood glucose and giving flyers.
- We will also use social media as an important platform to deliver the ideas and information. Between 6-12 May we will have daily posts on our Syrian young cardiovascular association on important publications or information about heart failure.
Turkey
Heart Failure Working Group have been participating in HF Awareness Day activities as usual. This will be the 8th year of participation.
- Activities start with a national press conference in Istanbul on 8 May 2018, in which all national TV channels and newspaper representatives will be invited to attend and a press release will be delivered.
- Turkish 2018 version of HF Awareness Day Posters will be sent to primary care centers and public, private and university hospitals
- Board members from the Heart Failure Working Group will give interviews about the definition, symptoms, signs, causes, treatment and prevention of heart failure on national and local TV channels to raise public awareness of heart failure
- Open clinic activities will be organized in several medical centers
- Newspaper announcements of the Heart Failure Awareness Day will be published and also newspaper interviews will be scheduled for rising public awareness of risk factors for HF
- A newsletter about HF Awareness Day will be prepared and sent all members of the Turkish Society of Cardiology
- Announcement of the Heart Failure Awareness Day and web banner will take place on the official website of Turkish Society of Cardiology
- Our big project for this year's HF awareness activities is to organize a concert named 'Cling to life'. In this concert, a rock singer who had been implanted left ventricular assist device will perform together with other singers
Ukraine
We have planned to have our Awareness Day from 7 to 15 June.
Initiatives are:
- lectures for patients, their relatives and about Heart Failure (epidemiology, symptoms, diagnosis, treatments etc)
- brief educational course on HF for GPs
- outdoor public events
United Kingdom
Uzbekistan
Our association, in particular, the working group of heart failure, has planned and conducts, in the regions of our country, seminars on modern recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure for general practitioners, internal medicine specialists and cardiologists.
In addition, active work is carried out among nurses, with training in the management of patients with HF, because nurses work with the population in these regions.
Prevention of cardiovascular diseases, in particular heart failure, is actively promoted in order to raise public knowledge of this disease through publications in secular magazines, newspapers, television, and social networks.
For example, in July, we have planned actions in crowded places, such as markets, shopping and leisure areas. We plan to conduct a primary medical examination, surveys and handouts.
Our mission: To reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease.