Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa (HSFSA)

HSFSA has 3 key focus areas:

• health promotion to encourage prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD);
• support for people living with a heart condition and who have had a cardiovascular event; and
• fundraising to support programmes.

HSFSA's strategies include the following programmes:

The HSFSA Children's Programme - This community-based programme aims to foster habits of good health at an early age. Child-care providers use music, activity books, and games to teach young people about nutrition, physical activity, the effects of smoking, and other health issues such as HIV/AIDS and rheumatic fever. The programme focuses on crèche-aged children (3-6 years) and primary school children. The programme has developed a number of materials, including a teacher's manual, a colouring book, and the Crèche Menu Plan Poster. The material is presented in four languages: English, Afrikaans, Xhosa, and Zulu. Heart and Stroke Foundation dieticians consult with caregivers to create meals that are nutritious and within budget.

Heart Mark - a guideline and incentive for shoppers to instantly identify healthy products on the shelf. Each product carrying the Heart Mark has been independently tested by a reputable laboratory and approved as part of the HSFSA eating plan.

Heart Mark Diet Line - a telephone service designed to increase health awareness and improve community nutrition. Queries to 0860 223 222 are answered by either a qualified dietician or a nurse, who also offer advice about Heart Mark products and their availability.

Corporate Wellness – HSFSA offers health checks to corporates, for a minimal rate, screening staff for blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose and also measuring Body Mass Index (BMI). Free bi-weekly information articles written by dieticians are available for intranet purposes, covering various topics relating to cardiovascular disease and healthy living. To subscribe to these articles, email heart@heartfoundation.co.za

Sow-A-Seed - teaches gardening skills and basic nutrition information to members of economically poor communities with the aim of providing healthy food to childcare centres. The programme promotes sound nutrition through community gardens. Fresh vegetables, planted and harvested by children and adults working together, become part of the school meals and provide essential vitamins and minerals. With community involvement, vacant land in the townships is turned into vegetable gardens.

Public Education - In an effort to educate the public about heart disease and promote a heart healthy lifestyle, HSFSA delivers public lectures and community talks, and produces newsletters and communication using radio, television, websites, magazines, pamphlets, and newspapers .

Heart Magazine - This quarterly magazine is a tool to support and encourage people who have had a heart incident as well as those interested in a healthy lifestyle.

Mended Hearts and Mended Little Hearts Support Groups - support groups for people living with a heart condition and for parents of children born with a heart condition, as well as grieving parents who have lost a child to heart disease.

Heartcore - a website designed to provide young people across the globe with credible and sound information to set them up for making informed choices about healthy living. Visitors can read about food, drugs, exercise, and mental health.

HSFSA website - provides information about healthy living, including tips for eating well, recipes, information on heart disease, and frequently asked questions (FAQs), answered by a dietician.

Nutrition, Children, Health.

HSFSA's Children's Programme was the 2007 recipient of ProCOR's international Louise Lown "Heart Hero" Award, which recognises innovative preventive approaches to promoting cardiovascular health in developing countries and other low-resource settings. ProCOR is a global health communication network that promotes knowledge sharing to prevent cardiovascular disease in developing countries.