hearts4heart

12/10/2026

We’re incredibly proud of our CEO and Founder, Tanya Hall, who has been re-elected to the World Heart Federation (WHF) Board for a second and final term!

Tanya’s journey began 16 years ago as a patient seeking education, support and connection, a journey that’s now led her to help shape global conversations on cardiovascular health.

Tanya was born with congenital heart disease, yet didn’t meet another person living with the same condition until she founded Hearts4heart in her mid-30s. She was incredibly fortunate to access life-saving surgery. Had she been born elsewhere, her story might have been very different.

During her first term, congenital heart disease was recognised as a neglected disease, and Tanya co-authored the Congenital Heart Disease World Heart Report 2026. While working on the report, Tanya and Elle, who also lives with congenital heart disease, interviewed families around the world, hearing stories from those who’ve lost children or had to leave home just to access life-saving surgery. It was devastating.

Where a child is born should never determine whether they survive a heart condition. 💔

We're so grateful that the WHF Board and staff recognise the importance of patient-led organisations and lived experience, and we're particularly proud that the Board has formally agreed to establish a Lived Experience Expert Group (LEEG), an important step towards embedding lived experience across WHF's work and ensuring patient voices help shape its strategy, policy, advocacy and research.

Congratulations, Tanya! We look forward to continuing this work alongside colleagues and advocates around the world, working towards a future where everyone has the opportunity to live a longer, healthier life. ❤️

11/10/2026

We're incredibly proud of our CEO and Founder, Tanya Hall, who was recently featured in The Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA) Women in MedTech Leadership Elevation Series as part of their Leadership Spotlight, in conversation with Susan Tye and Becca Meehan. ❤️

Tanya spoke openly about her own journey living with heart disease, which led her to establish hearts4heart in 2011, turning a deeply personal experience into a nationwide movement supporting, educating and advocating for Australians living with heart disease.

A key theme of the conversation was the power of lived experience, and why patients deserve to be recognised not just as people with a story to tell, but as experts who can help shape healthcare, research, policy and the decisions that affect their lives.

"When the focus is not on me and more about the people I represent, why I'm there, then that gives me the fire in my belly to speak up and to speak with conviction." – Tanya Hall

For Tanya, leadership has always meant u sing your voice, creating opportunities for others, and challenging the status quo when something needs to change.

Thank you to Susan and Becca for such a thoughtful and engaging conversation, and to the MTAA Women in MedTech Committee for creating a platform to celebrate and amplify the voices and journeys of women across healthcare and medtech.

🎧 Listen to "In conversation with Tanya Hall on Turning Lived Experience into a Nationwide Movement" here: https://vimeo.com/showcase/12276579?video=1227961435

To find out more about hearts4heart, or if you're living with heart disease, supporting a loved one, or simply want to help ensure no one faces heart disease alone, visit hearts4heart.org.au

29/09/2026

❤️ When Martha was just a toddler, her parents travelled 800km from Namibia to South Africa to access the heart surgery that would save her life.

Born with Tetralogy of Fallot, a complex congenital heart defect, the care Martha needed simply wasn't available in her home country.
Today, Martha is 33 and leads a patient support group in Namibia, helping other families and young people living with congenital heart disease (CHD).

"I wanted to create a community so that babies growing up would have people they can look up to." – Martha

🌍 This , her story is a powerful reminder that where a child is born can still shape their chance of survival. Sub-Saharan Africa has just 1 paediatric heart centre per 13 million people, compared to 1 per 0.6 million in North America and Europe.

Around 2.3–2.5 million babies are born with CHD every year, and an estimated 16 million people worldwide are living with the condition.

Early diagnosis, timely treatment and access to lifelong care can change lives.

hearts4heart proudly joins the World Heart Federation in raising awareness of congenital heart disease and the need for better access to care around the world.

❤️ Don't Miss a Beat. Every heart deserves the chance to thrive.
👉 Read the World Heart Report 2026 Congenital Heart Disease:https://hearts4heart.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WHF_Report_2026.pdf

24/09/2026

What would you do if you noticed a change in your heart rhythm?

Our latest research suggests many Australians may be unsure when to act if they experience a possible sign of atrial fibrillation (AF).

🟢65% of Australians recognise a pounding or racing heartbeat as a possible sign of AF.

🔴Yet only 21% say they would see a GP or healthcare professional as soon as possible if their heart suddenly began racing or pounding for no obvious reason.

🔴 36% would wait to see whether symptoms recurred or resolved before seeking medical advice.

🔴 Only 41% of Australian adults know that an irregular heartbeat can increase their risk of stroke.

If left untreated, AF can increase the risk of stroke, heart failure and dementia, which is why recognising the signs and knowing when to seek advice is important.

This Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Week, know the signs of AF and speak to a GP or healthcare professional if something doesn’t feel right.

Visit https://hearts4heart.org.au/event/atrial-fibrillation-awareness-week-2026-21-27/ to learn how to check your pulse.

23/09/2026

💓Know your PULSE. Know the signs of atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) can affect people in different ways. Knowing the signs can help you recognise a change in your heart health and when to speak to a healthcare professional.

PULSE is a simple way to remember five important messages about AF symptoms:

P — Pounding or racing heartbeat
U — Unusual tiredness
L — Light-headed or dizzy spells
S — Skipped or fluttering beats
E — Elevated stroke risk if untreated

If you notice changes in your heartbeat or experience symptoms of AF, don’t simply wait to see if they go away.

Learn how to check your PULSE and speak with a healthcare professional about your heart health and your risk of AF.

✅Know the signs. Take action early.

👉 Visit https://hearts4heart.org.au/event/atrial-fibrillation-awareness-week-2026-21-27/ to learn more

22/09/2026

This week, hearts4heart is encouraging Australians to Know your PULSE and raise awareness of atrial fibrillation (AF).

🗣️ Cardiologist and best-selling author Dr Warrick Bishop - Have You Planned Your Heart Attack, says becoming familiar with your pulse can help you recognise when something may need medical attention.

“AF can affect people differently, some notice a racing or pounding heartbeat, others experience tiredness, dizziness or fluttering beats, and some have no symptoms at all. Early detection matters because AF can increase the risk of serious complications, including stroke.”

🎥 Barry has been living with AF for 13 years. In this video, he shares his experience of diagnosis, treatment and navigating life with the condition, and how Dr Bishop’s book, Atrial Fibrillation Explained, has helped him better understand and manage his heart health.

👉 Click here to purchase https://hearts4heart.org.au/book-dr-warrick-bishops-atrial-fibrillation/

Visit https://hearts4heart.org.au/event/atrial-fibrillation-awareness-week-2026-21-27/ to learn how to check your pulse

20/09/2026

🫀Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Week is here.

From 21–27 September, Hearts4heart is raising awareness of atrial fibrillation (AF) — an irregular heart rhythm that affects more than 500,000 Australians, with up to 30% potentially undiagnosed.

AF can affect people in different ways, and some people may not recognise that the symptoms they experience could be linked to their heart.

⚠️Importantly, AF increases the risk of stroke, with one in four strokes attributed to AF.

This Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Week, we’re encouraging Australians to:
❤️ Know the signs of AF
🫀 Know how to check your pulse
🩺 Talk to your GP or healthcare professional if something doesn’t feel right

Because recognising the signs early can support timely diagnosis and management.

Know your heartbeat. Know the signs. Take action early.

👉 Learn more https://hearts4heart.org.au/event/atrial-fibrillation-awareness-week-2026-21-27/

03/09/2026

🏆 We’re absolutely thrilled to share that hearts4heart has been named a Finalist in the NGO of the Year category at this year’s PRIME Awards!

This recognition reflects the work we’re doing to turn lived experience into national impact, from our cardiovascular awareness campaigns to the launch of our Advocacy Training Academy.

But most importantly, it reflects the incredible Lived Experience Advocates, patients, partners and supporters who continue to share their stories, raise awareness and help drive change for people living with heart disease.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of the hearts4heart journey. This is very much a shared win. ❤️

And thank you to PRIME Awards for recognising the work of organisations making a difference in healthcare and patients' lives.

25/08/2026

❤️hearts4heart Lived Experience Advocate Tammy shares her story of surviving a cardiac arrest, and then having to navigate recovery, weight stigma, and a healthcare system that doesn't always make space for compassion.

In this episode of the Heart Foundation's The Beat podcast, Tammy shares what it's really like living with obesity and heart disease, the stigma that stops people from seeking help, and what it meant to sit on the national consumer taskforce behind Australia's first Clinical Consensus Statement on Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease, a statement that could change how obesity is treated in this country.

We're so proud of Tammy for speaking so openly.

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4mhvymqQcyGhtlFuELfjBB?si=LMGf3NkTS5OGc_owsWiXSw
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/obesity-heart-disease-and-the-importance-of-being-heard/id1851329358?i=1000773821420

Podcast Episode · The Beat · 23 June · 10min

20/08/2026

So proud of our Founder and CEO, Tanya Hall! ❤️

Tanya has been invited to speak as part of the MTAA Women in MedTech Leadership Elevation Series, sharing her personal journey of turning adversity into Hearts4heart, now one of Australia's most respected patient advocacy organisations.

It's a powerful reminder of what's possible when lived experience becomes the driving force for change. We're so grateful for everything Tanya has built, and for everyone who's been part of the journey with us.

Thank you to the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA) for the opportunity to share her story. 🩷