“Waking to the loving faces of my wife and kids, I knew instantly what a lucky man I was.”

Your tax-time gift supports life-saving research to ensure more heart attack survivors like Joel get to come home to their families.

Up to 27%

of heart attacks happen to people with no risk factors

60,000

Australians suffer a heart attack event year

1 in 5

victims do not survive their heart attack journey

Every
9 minutes

someone suffers a life-threatening heart event

“If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.”

Professional sportsman Joel Wilson was a healthy, active 45-year-old who never thought a heart attack could happen to him. For three days, he was "stupidly in denial," trying to explain away his symptoms as simple heartburn or mid-winter blues. It wasn't until he was rushed to hospital and heard medical staff call a "Code Blue" that the terrifying reality of his 95% blockage set in. Joel counts himself as one of the lucky ones because he is still here to see the loving faces of his wife and kids, but he knows that for many others, the journey doesn't end with a successful operation. His experience proves that if it can happen to him, it can happen to anyone—which is why your support for research into "low risk" heart attacks is so urgent.

How your donation helps

First-stage research

Seed funding for "out of the notebook" ideas.

PhD scholarships

Nurturing Australia's most promising minds.

World-first results

Breaking new ground in heart medicine.

Unlocking genetic insights for early heart disease detection

Professor Gemma Figtree is dedicated to understanding why "low risk" individuals—those with no traditional risk factors—are increasingly suffering heart attacks . This group now accounts for nearly one-third of all cases . Through the BioHEART project, her team has established a biobank of over 4,000 blood samples to examine genomic and inflammatory markers . This vital research aims to unravel the "missing biology" of coronary heart disease to identify life-saving new ways of diagnosing patients . The ultimate goal is to develop a simple blood test that can indicate a person’s likelihood of having a heart attack years before it happens .

Revolutionising heart repair with personalised 3D bioprinting

Dr Carmine Gentile and his team are developing an injectable 3D-printed heart patch that could revolutionise the way we treat heart attack survivors. Made from the patient's own cells, it has the potential to be a safe, convenient, and cost-effective alternative to traditional treatments.

Advancing maternal and infant heart health

Professor Helge Rasmussen's team is counteracting cellular dysfunctions in pre-eclampsia, while Professor Martin Kluckow and Dr Eveline Staub lead critical research to prevent heart disease in premature infants later in life.

Optimising heart valve procedures for recovery

Professor Ravinay Bhindi's team confirmed the feasibility of same-day discharge for TAVI patients. This study directly impacts the patient experience and was made possible by your support of PhD scholarships.

HELP KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER FOR LONGER

Your support brings life-changing and life-saving impacts to families across the community.