Heart disease, which includes cardiac arrest and stroke, claims 18.6 million lives a year. World Heart Day, on 29 September, aims to raise awareness of how to prevent these diseases.

Why is World Heart Day named so?

World Heart Day is aptly named. On this day, we are to focus on the health of our hearts. World Heart Day has a different theme each year, but they are all about taking care of your health. Each year, World Heart Day motivates people to lead healthier lifestyles, be active, eat healthier and adopt healthier habits.

When is World Heart Day 2022?

World Heart Day is held every year on 29 September. This year, in 2022, the date falls on a Thursday. This important day is a reminder to take care of your heart, for example by playing sports or abstaining from alcohol and tobacco products.

What is the theme of World Heart Day 2022?

This year’s theme for World Heart Day 2022 is use a heart for every heart.

Use Heart means to think differently. Make the right choices. Act with courage. Help others. Engage in this important cause. The heart is the only organ you can hear and feel. It is the first and last sign of life. It is one of the few things that has the potential to unite us all as humans.

For Every Heart includes the use of the word “FOR” and shifts the focus from the actions themselves to the recipients of the actions, allowing the campaign to have a wider appeal while making it more personal. We want the World Heart Day message to reach as many individuals as possible to help achieve cardiovascular health for every heart.

History of World Heart Day

World Heart Day is commemorated and celebrated annually on 29 September to raise awareness of the cardiovascular disease and how to control it to reduce its global impact. This international holiday was declared by the World Heart Federation in collaboration with the World Health Organization. Antoni Bayés de Luna, President of the World Heart Federation from 1997-1999, came up with the idea. It was first celebrated annually on 24 September 2000 and until 2011, World Heart Day was commemorated on the last Sunday in September.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. An estimated 17 million people die from CVD each year. The leading causes of these deaths are coronary heart disease or stroke. A common misconception about CVD is that it affects more people in developed countries who depend more on technology and lead sedentary lifestyles. However, more than 80% of deaths occur in middle- and low-income countries. Fortunately, the leading causes of cardiovascular disease are modifiable factors, including lack of exercise, smoking and poor diet. Cardiovascular disease also has a major impact on countries’ economic systems – the cost of treatment is high and failure to treat the disease early leads to loss of productivity and long absences from work.

More than 90 countries participate in this international event each year. World Heart Day has thus proved to be an effective means of disseminating information on cardiovascular disease. The high level of involvement of governments and organisations is most important for developing countries, which are heavily affected by these diseases.

How to celebrate World Heart Day?

We recommend using this day to take care of your own health. Use World Heart Day to check your own heart – you might even find an event near you to learn more about your heart health and ways to be even healthier.

It’s also a good idea to use this day to become aware of the uniqueness of your body. We are born with one and we will live our entire lives with the same one, so it’s important to take good care of it. Let’s use this day to understand what is really important and try to make small resolutions to be more physically active and eat healthier. But everything in moderation – a drastic lifestyle change could have exactly the opposite effect on your health, both physical and mental!

World Heart Day is not just about our hearts, but about the hearts of those around us. Use this day to educate yourself on how to help people in need. Look for classes that teach you to notice the signs of poor health or classes that teach you how to perform CPR.

Why is World Heart Day important?

World Heart Day is important for several reasons.

• It’s for all our hearts. The theme of this year’s World Heart Day is taking care of our own hearts and the hearts of our loved ones. What can I do for my heart and for your heart?
• It is a reminder of the importance of taking care of the heart. World Heart Day is a universal platform that has the ability to target the millions of people who succumb to cardiovascular disease each year. Many events and lectures fall on this day to raise awareness about the disease and its prevention.
• It inspires action. On this day, there are many fun and healthy activities – walks, runs, lectures, performances and so on – that can inspire you to fight cardiovascular disease in order to live a longer, happier and healthier life.

Where to follow World Heart Day?

You can follow World Heart Day on Twitter or Instagram, using the hashtags #WorldHeartDay or #HeartDay.

How to support World Heart Day?

You can also show your support for World Heart Day by donating to charities.

• Donate to World Heart Day. You can directly support the World Heart Day campaign, which will use the funds to raise awareness of the cardiovascular disease.
• Donate to World Heart Federation. Donate to the World Heart Foundation to support projects in low-income countries.
• Donate to Colours to Save Hearts. Colours to Save Hearts focuses on educating children and parents about the prevention of rheumatic heart disease, which affects 39 million people worldwide – mostly children and adolescents.