Annual Report 2020 Heart disease Lifestyle in women The In 2017‑2018 in women Over 500,000 diagnosed with CVD: women are affected by cardiovascular disease (CVD) facts 89% did not eat recommended daily serve of vegetables 1 in 3 women will die from CVD matter 59% did not meet the Australian guidelines for physical activity CVD caused more female deaths than any other did not eat the disease group in 2019 44% recommended daily serve of fruit 60% were overweight or obese Cost to Australia Aboriginal and Torres In 2019 CVD cost Australia Strait Islander (ATSI) $10.4 billion 1 in 3 of total prescriptions ATSI women are X2 as likely as are for CVD medicines non‑indigenous women to have CVD 19% loss of full time ATSI women are X4 times as employment is due to likely as non‑indigenous women to coronary heart disease have CVD related hospitalisations References 1. AIHW (2019a), Cardiovascular disease in Australian women, accessed 4th November 2020 from www. aihw.gov.au/getmedia/a09eedb7‑2a0d‑43c1‑a511‑e424fca70635/aihw‑cdk‑10.pdf 2. ABS (2019b), National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, accessed 4th November 2020 from www.abs.gov.au/statistics/ people/aboriginal‑and‑torres‑strait‑islander‑peoples/national‑aboriginal‑and‑torres‑strait‑islander‑health‑survey/latest‑release 3. AIHW (2019b), Cardiovascular disease, accessed 4th November 2020 from www.aihw.gov.au/reports/heart‑stroke‑vascular‑diseases/ cardiovascular‑health‑compendium/contents/how‑many‑australians‑have‑cardiovascular‑disease 4. AIHW (2017). Medicines for cardiovascular disease, accessed 5th November 2020 from www.aihw. gov.au/getmedia/e84e445a‑b4f0‑4eac‑96ee‑b4cbf4e5639a/aihw‑cvd‑80.pdf 5. AIHW (2009). Chronic disease and participation in work, accessed 5th November 2020 from www.aihw.gov. au/reports/chronic‑disease/chronic‑disease‑participation‑work/contents/summary 2 Her Heart Annual Report 2020 Her Heart Annual Report 2020 3 Contents Letter from the Chair..............6 CEO Report ...................................7 Mission, Vision Highlights ......................................8 Our Board .....................................10 and Values Our Advisors ...............................12 Our Team ......................................14 Our Network ...............................15 Our Supporters .........................16 Our Sponsors .............................16 Mission Our Funding ................................16 Her Heart Improve the heart health of Australian Looking forward .......................18 women with long‑lasting impact. Founder & To be the ‘go‑to’ place for women to access accurate information. Director To make women’s heart health a top Dr. Linda Worrall‑Carter is a recognised world priority in the health, government, leader in the field of women’s heart health. business and community sectors. Prior to establishing Her Heart, she worked as a clinician, and spent many years nursing women in the acute stage and post heart attack as About well as in rehabilitation with heart disease. She became aware of the different symptoms for Vision women, that they were often under diagnosed and under treated leading her to investigate Her Heart’s vision is to fight heart Her Heart this further. After decades of research she felt disease in women. Starting in Australia, compelled to leave her position as Professor we aim to decrease deaths from heart of Cardiac Nursing to establish Australia’s only disease by 50% by 2025 and engage NFP around women’s heart health so that Her Heart is Australia’s only not‑for‑profit the broader Australian community to more women could be made aware of their (NFP) focused on the prevention of women’s support Her Heart’s initiatives to deliver risks and know what to do about it. She felt heart disease. Established in 2015, Her Heart long‑lasting heart health prevention. passionate that research alone would not save raises awareness and educates women on women’s lives, nor drive changes in health the risks of heart disease and empowers attitudes and behaviours. A key cornerstone of them to make important lifestyle changes. Her Heart is to drive change through creating awareness of heart disease, with a view to Values empowering women with knowledge so they can learn more about how to initiate change. In a relatively short period of time, Her Heart has Inclusive and respectful created a groundswell of interest, harnessed support from women all over the world as Evidence‑based practice well as local and national interest and funding. The community has also expanded to involve Community minded key Australian groups and cardiologists. Her Heart is committed to the women of Australia, Passion for excellence our subscribers, partners, sponsors and supporters locally and across the globe. 4 Her Heart Annual Report 2020 Her Heart Annual Report 2020 5 Letter from The Chair CEO It is with great delight that I present this I would also like to thank our outgoing report. As we all know 2020 was a year of Chair, Ms Cassandra Kelly AM and Director enormousLetter change due to a global Pandemic (& Founding member) Mr James Hutton. that also considerably affected those We are thrilled that they have agreed to Report working in the NFP space. The Her Heart continue as part of our International Advisory team have done a tremendous job in pulling team. This will be incredibly important as togetherfrom a report, showcasing programs the we move forward, given that James was that have been able to continue as well as a Founding member and integral to Her expanded upon during a very difficult year. Heart for the past five years and Cassandra had significant input in the early days of There has also been change within our establishing Her Heart and navigated us Executive and our Founder Dr Linda Chair through what have been extraordinary times. Worrall‑Carter is now in a position to dedicate herself more fully to strategic and Finally, we hope that this Annual Report Board matters while handing over the reins brings you up to date with some of of CEO. Linda created Her Heart back in the things we have been working on, 2015 and has since then established Her and hopefully inspires you to continue Heart as a key player in the heart health NFP to support the work that we do as we space. During this time she has created a continue to make a difference. CEO Report Board and an International Advisory group, Angela Wheelton a number of significant partnerships with professional groups, sponsors, as well as working with government for crucial I am pleased to write this report this year having an organisation that has been working with funding. There has been important (and recently joined the Her Heart team. This year Australian Indigenous people for over 15 significant) outcomes, many showcased has been a challenging year with a global years. We have developed new professional in past annual reports and creating a team pandemic and the unique experiences we relationships to extend our reach to the of staff and volunteers. She has also been shared with COVID‑19 community restrictions. Australian and international communities to recognised with awards for her work, as a Collectively we have seen changes to the continue the great achievements of Her Heart. Telstra Business Award winner in 2019 and way people access healthcare and healthcare I would like to thank our Board, as we welcome previous Female Entrepreneur Award winner. information for example, an Australian a new Board Chair Angela Wheelton OAM DSJ women’s health survey this year indicated As we move forward we are thrilled to a global philanthropist and Board member since that nearly 70% of women preferred to have Prof Karen‑leigh Edward join us as 2017. I would like to thank our dedicated team of access their health information via the web. Acting CEO. Karen‑leigh comes to us volunteers and advisors, in particular, Ms Krystal with enormous experience as a clinician, As a predominantly digital organisation, we Barter, Ms Tina Manolitsas, Ms Sally Brooks, researcher with a strong track record in have focused on providing evidenced based Mr Tom Lam, Ms Esther Lam and Ms Michelle leadership and leading teams as well information on our website and other media Clancy. Importantly, I would like to acknowledge as a passion for women’s health. platforms for women and others to access. Her the tireless commitment of Her Heart founder, Heart has prevention and promoting self‑care Dr Linda Worrall‑Carter who brings knowledge as part of our core values and mission, and we and passion to the Her Heart prevention effort. are pleased with the level of access we had with We hope you find this annual report informative our community during 2020 with an increase and inspires you to help us make a difference to in people accessing our website and reacting the lives of the many women who experience to our regular messages on social media. cardiovascular disease and their families. This year, we launched our educational videos Best wishes about heart disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women which was a fantastic Karen‑leigh outcome of our collaborations with Hitnet, Adjunct Prof Karen‑leigh Edward (Acting CEO) 6 Her Heart Annual Report 2020 Her Heart Annual Report 2020 7 Heart Health Let´s Chat Fact Rheumatic Sheet Heart Disease Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) is a condition where your have long-lasting heart valve damage after one or more illness episodes of Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF). ARF occurs when you have a strep infection, your immune system will instead create an inflammation-like response in your body, which can result in some unpleasant symptoms. These symptoms includes fever, jerky body movements, nodules/lumps on wrists, elbows, knees, ankles and sections of your spine as well as chest pain and fluid build-up in your legs. What happens to your heart and body during pregnancy? In RHD, one or more of your heart valves may be left with scarring or even stretching, leading to issues with your blood flowing properly.