March 2, 2015
Heart Foundation responds to vandalism

The Heart Foundation was deeply disappointed to learn today that an individual or group has vandalised one of its billboards in Hamilton.

Heart disease is no laughing matter; it kills more than 6500 New Zealanders every year, making it the country’s biggest killer.

We recently erected billboards during our nationwide annual appeal to help raise awareness about the severity of heart disease and raise money to help us help save lives.

Vanessa Winning, Head of Marketing at the Heart Foundation, says she and everyone who works and volunteers for the charity are upset that their Frankton billboard has been hijacked and used for political protest.

“It’s really disappointing that a charity is being targeted to score political points. I find it unthinkable that someone would vandalise our billboard, and consequently mock a seriously crippling disease, just to make a political statement.

“Heart disease devastates thousands of families and communities in New Zealand every year. This is an incredibly immature and callous act. People are diagnosed with heart disease every day and have to live with the consequences. To think that such a personal and destructive topic is being used to score points is very sad.”

Ms Winning said heart disease claims more than one life every 90 minutes and many of these deaths are premature and preventable.

“We work hard to stop the prevalence of heart disease in New Zealand and an act of vandalism like this is very discouraging. We don’t have the money to waste on fixing vandalism of this nature – to rectify it saps precious money needed for our vital health programmes and research. Instead, we will have to take it down, as we can’t afford to replace it.”

ENDS

About the Heart Foundation
The Heart Foundation is the charity that works to stop New Zealanders dying prematurely from heart disease. It is committed to promoting heart health through funding vital research, promoting heart healthy lifestyles and advancing cardiac care.

ENDS

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