Charity Calon Hearts is using Heart Failure Awareness Week to spotlight early detection and prevention.
Heart Failure Awareness Week, taking place from 27th April to 3rd May across the UK, is shining a spotlight on one of the country’s most serious and often overlooked health conditions.
This year’s theme, ‘Awareness Today, Protection Tomorrow’, is focusing on the importance of recognising symptoms early and taking action before it’s too late.
Around 1 million people in the UK are currently living with heart failure, with approximately 200,000 new diagnoses each year. Despite this, it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of people may be living with the condition without knowing it, often experiencing symptoms for years before receiving a diagnosis.
Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump blood effectively throughout the body. It is a long-term condition that can significantly impact quality of life and, in some cases, life expectancy. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical in helping people live longer, healthier lives.
The theme strongly reflects the work of Calon Hearts, which focuses on early detection and prevention through screening, education and community awareness. This week also provides an important moment to highlight the wider impact of heart conditions across the UK, including sudden cardiac arrest, which can affect people of all ages, often without warning.
Every week in the UK, at least 12 young people die from undiagnosed heart conditions, often with no symptoms or warning signs.
Calon Hearts is working to address this through early detection and prevention, offering free heart screening for young people aged 16–26, heavily subsidised screening for those aged 27+, as well as CPR training and defibrillator provision in communities across Wales.
To date, the charity has screened over 34,800 hearts, trained more than 600,000 people in CPR and placed over 37,000 defibrillators across the UK.
Sharon Owen, Charity and Fundraising Director at Calon Hearts, said: “Heart failure and sudden cardiac arrest are different conditions, but they are both part of a much bigger picture when it comes to heart health. Too often, lives are lost because warning signs are missed or conditions go undetected.
Every week, families lose young people without warning. In many cases, these tragedies could be prevented through earlier detection and awareness.
We know that early detection saves lives. Through screening, education and awareness, we can identify problems sooner, give people the information they need and ultimately prevent tragedies that could otherwise be avoided.”
Heart Failure Awareness Week is a reminder of the importance of listening to your body, seeking medical advice if something doesn’t feel right, and taking steps to understand your own heart health.
Alongside this, organisations like Calon Hearts are calling for greater awareness of the importance of screening, particularly for younger people who may not realise they are at risk.
People are encouraged to learn more about heart health, understand the signs of heart failure, and consider taking proactive steps to protect themselves and their families.
To find out more about heart screening, CPR training, or how to support lifesaving work in communities, visit: https://calonhearts.org
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