BHF Review A/W* Copy

What makes us tick... Annual Review 2003 British Heart Foundation 14 Fitzhardinge Street London W1H 6DH Tel 020 7935 0185 Fax 020 7486 5820 www.bhf.org.uk Registered charity number 225971 Company registration number 699547 Contents 2 Director General The aim of the British 4 Medical Director 6 Risk Factors 14 Research Heart Foundation is to 22 Supporting and Caring 30 Get Active 38 Join the Team 46 Shops play a leading role in the 48 Financial Report 53 Thank You 54 How to Contact the BHF ﬁght against cardiovascular disease so that it is no longer a major cause of disability and premature death Director General The challenges ahead The Director General has shared his in-depth This year we received excellent news for patients knowledge and experience with other medical with heart failure.The BHF has been awarded research charities across the world. He was twice £9.4 million from the New Opportunities Fund Chairman of the UK’s Association of Medical to add an additional 75 heart failure nurses to Research Charities (AMRC). He chaired the our network.This was the result of a huge European Heart Network (EHN), the Brussels- amount of work from staff at all levels and we based alliance of 29 heart organisations from hope to receive further support in the fields 26 European countries, for seven years. He has of rehabilitation and cardiac equipment. also played a leading role in the World Heart Federation (WHF), based in Geneva. The BHF is now fighting heart disease on a much Leslie Busk receiving his Honorary Doctorate with his wife, bigger scale, linking with other organisations on BHF Professor Glennis Haworth By motivating others and sharing his vision Leslie international projects. Awareness campaigns like Busk has united staff, volunteers, supporters and Moving on Heart Week, and fundraising events like the annual medical professionals.This year he was awarded Major General Leslie Busk retires in November London to Brighton Bike Ride, which last year an Honorary Doctorate by Glasgow University in 2003 after nearly 14 years leading the British raised nearly £2.5m, are creating greater impact recognition of his commitment to cardiovascular Heart Foundation and establishing its reputation each year.When I joined the Charity in 1990, there disease research. Leslie says this new-found as the country’s premier and most respected were 22 BHF shops.There is now a national chain status finally brings him closer in rank to Mrs heart health charity. Under his stewardship, the of over 450 BHF shops, which last year achieved Busk – Professor Glennis Haworth, the BHF BHF has raised a staggering £650 million to sales of £48.8m and a profit of £7.9m. Professor of Developmental Cardiology at fund pioneering heart research, education the Institute of Child Health in London. "I feel privileged to have Our public affairs team has set up an All-Party programmes and patient care initiatives. Since Leslie became Director General, the BHF has Parliamentary Group on Heart Disease with 155 Betty McBride worked with so many made dramatic progress in cutting-edge members – 84 MPs and 71 Peers – in Westminster. Director of Marketing and Communications dedicated people, all The aim is to build a forum of politicians who can cardiovascular research, introduced support become informed about heart disease and act as networks for heart patients and established working towards a ambassadors for the BHF. awareness of heart disease in people of all ages and backgrounds. common goal" I feel privileged to have worked with so many dedicated people, all working towards a In 1999, Leslie created the BHF Cardiovascular common goal – to prevent heart disease and Initiative (CVI).This multi-million pound help those who are already suffering from it. programme has brought together teams of researchers and paid for state-of-the-art Heart and circulatory disease is our biggest killer, laboratories and equipment, giving cardiac and to tackle it we need a new generation of specialists the freedom to develop their work. talented young researchers.The first challenge for The success of the CVI has led the BHF Council my successor is to put in place schemes to attract to approve a second programme. these research stars of the future from the UK and overseas.The second challenge is to raise the Leslie brought a sensitive and imaginative money to fund their work, facilities and equipment. approach to patient care. Over the years, he has overseen the development of support, information and expert care networks across the country. BHF Nurses, rehabilitation programmes and heart support groups, backed up by the Heart Information Line, are invaluable resources for patients and their families. Leslie Busk Director General 2 British Heart Foundation Annual Review 2003 British Heart Foundation Annual Review 2003 3 Medical Director The UK is a major player in research into coronary disease in children, through to the dangers heart disease (CHD). Although we have only of hypertension and stress, and the effective one per cent of the world’s population, the UK treatment of high cholesterol levels. contributes more than eight per cent of the research output in the field of cardiology – You’ll find more information about some of our much based on work funded solely by the BHF research outcomes in this review.This is just the or in partnership with other organisations such tip of the iceberg, with many valuable projects as the Medical Research Council or Department still under way, including new research into of Health. Over a recent ten-year period, there 12 genetic triggers for CHD and how fetal were 5,422 research publications on which BHF development affects our future health.We 1 BHF Professor Philip Poole-Wilson is currently President support was acknowledged. of the World Heart Federation have learned a lot but there is so much more we can discover. However, new statistics from the BHF show that 2 John Camm, BHF Professor for 17 years and President although the number of deaths from coronary of the British Cardiac Society for the last two heart disease continues to fall significantly, the UK is still among the countries topping the world The BHF liaises with a huge number of heart fatality league. associated bodies in the field of cardiology and health promotion generally. BHF Professor Philip During the last year, the BHF awarded £50 million Poole-Wilson is currently President of the World Professor Sir Charles George in research grants to continue the vital work on Heart Federation and is closely involved with Medical Director the causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention promoting World Heart Day in September 2004, “We fund a broad range of CHD. with its focus on heart disease and stroke in of research projects from women. Philip’s career has combined laboratory A cornerstone of BHF policy is the support of key science with clinical research involving patients, PhD students, through to individuals, chiefly through the 29 BHF Chairs of and in 1997 he was appointed the first Head Cardiovascular Science at 15 institutions, and we of the world-renowned National Heart & Lung Principal Scientists and have a long-term commitment to these eminent Institute, at the Royal Brompton and Harefield Professors of Cardiology” researchers. Four more Chairs will be taken up Hospitals. in the coming year in London, Leicester and Cambridge. John Camm has been a BHF Professor for 17 years, and has been President of the British Sadly, in the last year Michael Davies, a BHF Cardiac Society (BCS) for the past two years. Professor for over 20 years and former BHF The BCS is a forum for cardiologists and Assistant Medical Director, died. His work associated professionals to share information, advanced our understanding of the events that with the common aim of reducing deaths precede a heart attack. His findings formed the from heart disease. John’s research focuses background to clinical trials of clot-busting on electrophysiology, particularly cardiac therapy and the use of aspirin to prevent further arrhythmias and implantable devices for thrombus formation – treatments that have controlling heart rhythms, for example saved thousands of lives worldwide. Michael’s pacemakers and defibrillators. modesty belied his considerable achievements and he was particularly interested in helping We fund a broad range of research projects from young people become researchers. In his PhD students, through to Principal Scientists and memory, the BHF has established the Michael Professors of Cardiology. In the past year our Davies Young Investigator Award to be researchers have made important advances in presented annually. our understanding of different aspects of heart disease – from the causes of congenital heart 4 British Heart Foundation Annual Review 2003 British Heart Foundation Annual Review 2003 5 “It could be you” Risk Factors In the UK, someone has a heart attack every two minutes and coronary heart disease is the single most common cause of premature death.The BHF runs campaigns to raise awareness of the risk factors and gives practical advice on ways to lead a healthy lifestyle more inside more inside Our website has more pages than War and Peace – a wealth of information about heart health, as well as heart disease, and news about what the BHF does to help. Go to www.bhf.org.uk One in five adults is obese and the number is rising.We joined forces with the BBC Diet Trials to discover the truth behind the UK’s most popular diets 8 British Heart Foundation Annual Review 2003 British Heart Foundation Annual Review 2003 13 1 4 Risk Factors Take Note of Your Heart do to reduce their risk of developing Heartland format allows primary school teachers Heart and circulatory disease is the single biggest cardiovascular disease.The new BHF booklet Starting in September 2002, the BHF- to use it as a science resource and to support killer of women in the UK, but BHF research Your heart, smoking and how to give up provides commissioned ‘Heartland’TV series delivered literacy hour for Key Stage One.

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