World Heart Day 2024

Second only to International Kawasaki Disease Awareness Day – WORLD HEART DAY is one of the BIGGEST days in the Societi calendar,

Every year the World Heart Federation runs a global campaign to raise awareness of heart health, and the importance of looking after our hearts. Each year we work on World Heart Day to raise awareness of Kawasaki Disease, the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children in the western world – Kawasaki Disease.

This year we are once again supporting the World Heart Federation on World Heart Day to highlight the issues surrounding Kawasaki Disease. Our number one priority is to raise awareness and we’re on a mission to tell everyone about Kawasaki Disease. That includes supporting doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals to recognise Kawasaki Disease and understand the needs of those who are affected.

Societi’s World Heart Day Statement – Sunday 29 September 2024

On World Heart Day, we are highlighting the need for those who have suffered lasting heart damage from Kawasaki Disease to receive the correct and necessary follow-up care they require.

Kawasaki Disease won’t cause heart damage in the majority of children that are affected. However, 19% of those who are affected will have suffered lasting heart damage and will require follow-up care in line with published guidance.

Our key messages:

1. One in five children affected by Kawasaki Disease develop serious lifelong heart damage and will require follow-up care into adulthood
2. Where a patient lives should not determine whether or not they receive the correct follow up care in line with published guidance
3. Many of those suffering lasting heart damage from Kawasaki Disease are currently not receiving the clinical care they urgently need

Postcode lottery for Kawasaki Disease care

On World Heart Day, Societi, the UK Foundation for Kawasaki Disease is highlighting the urgent need for investment in Kawasaki Disease follow-up care for those who have suffered lasting heart damage.  We are calling for all NHS Trusts and Health Boards across the UK to adopt published lifetime cardiovascular management guidance, and provide this essential care.

With an estimated 20,000 children, young people and adults having been affected by Kawasaki Disease, there is an ever-growing cohort in the UK of people who need, and deserve to be able to access the lifetime specialist care experts have set out as needed.

19% of patients affected by Kawasaki Disease have lasting, serious heart damage – but many are not getting the lifetime specialist cardiac care they need. Levels of care are ultimately determined by where a patient lives and what guidance their local NHS Trust chooses to follow.  This is leading to inconsistent care across the UK and a ‘postcode lottery’ for patients who have suffered heart damage.

Societi Foundation research shows a present rate of up to 1,000 UK hospital admissions for Kawasaki Disease each year. Once considered a rare disease, incidence is rapidly rising globally and it is now increasingly common. Around 190 children every year will experience heart damage resulting in the need for specialist, lifetime clinical care – too many NHS Trusts and Health Boards in the UK currently fail to provide this, as expert guidance remains overlooked and unadopted.

Societi Foundation Chair of Trustees and internationally renowned Kawasaki Disease expert, Professor Robert Tulloh said “Too many individuals with lasting heart damage from Kawasaki Disease are not getting the follow-up care they urgently require. We want to ensure everyone has access to the correct care – most importantly this is cardiac care that will save lives and prevent what can be the devastating consequences of adverse cardiac events. We’ve produced and distributed a ‘quick guide’ linked to the long term guidance, sharing this so that every NHS Trust, Health Board and doctor can understand what care is required for these patients. We need commitment from these organisations to provide the high-quality care our families truly need – and to get this in place urgently.”

Make, bake or create and let’s celebrate our hearts for Kawasaki Disease awareness!

We’re challenging ALL of our supporters to make, bake or create a heart this World Heart day to help us to raise awareness of Kawasaki Disease.

We want as many people as possible to get creative and send us a photo of a heart they’ve made, baked or created in anyway possible with anything possible – your imagination is your ony limitation! Maybe you’re a dab hand with some paper and coloured pencils, or a perhaps you’re crafty with the crochet? How about a heart made from people or a run on your Strava! Can you bake a heart shaped cake? Or, would you prefer to mow the lawn in the shape of a heart? Here’s some ideas below!

Here’s an early sneak peak at this year’s Societi Foundation Christmas merchandise! We’re so excited to present our brand new Societi Bear! But before we offer Societi Bear for sale on our shop, we need a proper name!!

Take part in our competition to name our new Societi Bear! Entry is free and you’ll be in with a chance to win the first ever Societi Bear produced – and of course have the prestigious opportunity to name the newest (and cutest) member of #TeamSocieti!

To enter, complete the form on the link below where you can leave your details along with your entry. We’ll announce the winner shortly after World Heart Day. Good luck!!

This competition is now closed – thank you to everyone who entered!

If you’d like to purchase a new Societi Bear, you can do so on our shop here for £12!

Take part in the Societi raffle for World Heart Day! Just select the raffle number(s) you’d like to buy, check out and wait for the draw after World Heart Day. We’ll email you if your ticket is a winner!

Prizes include:

• A £50 Amazon voucher
• A £50 one4all gift voucher, generously donated by Societi supporter, Lisa
• 2 x £25 amazon voucher
• Two gorgeous, matching cheese knife sets, generously donated by Culinary Concepts, organised by Kate and Rosie
• A selection of ladies accessories, generously donated by Shirt Sleeves, Newark
• Gorgeous wax melts, generously donated by Societi supporter Rozanne Flutterbuy Home Ltd
• 2 x bottles of champagne, generously donated by Societi supporter Nikki at Keep It Cool Ltd
• A brand new Societi Bear
• A selection of Societi Goodies including one of our much sought after Societi Hoodies!

This Societi raffle is now closed – thank you to everyone who entered!

World Heart Day is the perfect time to raise awareness of Kawasaki Disease and protect hearts! So, why not get involved? Help us make plans, take part, raise funds and let’s make World Heart Day a HUGE success.

❤️❤️ Hold a Kawasaki Disease awareness event at your school or nursery — schools and nurseries are THE best place to raise awareness of Kawasaki Disease to people who have children in their world!

❤️❤️ Have a – – Kawasaki conversation over coffee and cake – – in your local community, or just with friends! What a brilliant excuse (if we needed one…) for eating CAKE!!! Whilst raising funds to protect children’s hearts!

❤️❤️ Or why not hold a – – wear red day – – at work – or at child’s school/nursery? Make a statement in RED to help fundraise and get this sinister disease known!

It’s EASY to get involved! Just like 1, 2, 3!

1. Choose your event and pick your date!

2. If you’d like to hold an event at school or nursery, click here for your schools information pack! Click here for your wear red fundraising pack and posters, or for your coffee, cake and Kawasaki conversation fundraising pack and posters click here.

3. Create your JustGiving fundraising page here

And you’re set to go, to protect tiny hearts!!! ❤️❤️❤️

Get in touch and let us know your plans – we love to hear what everyone is up to for World Heart Day. We’ll support you wherever we can. And, if you need help with your World Heart Day event for Kawasaki Disease awareness – or if you’ve got any questions, comments or feedback about World Heart Day 2024, just get in touch! We’re always happy to help wherever we can!