29 Sep: WORLD HEART DAY

World Heart Day is celebrated on 29th September of every year. It is aimed at drawing people’s attention to heart illness and the range of associated health issues.

The day is commemorated to promote different preventative steps and changes in lifestyle to avoid any cardiovascular diseases, like heart attack, stroke, heart failure and any other condition related to the same.

On average, more than 17 million people die from heart-related illnesses every year. This is more than that of people who die from HIV, malaria, and cancer.

History of World Heart Day

It was launched in 2000 by the World Heart Federation as an annual event that was planned to take place every last Sunday of September. However, they decided to fix it on every 29th day of September and it has been celebrated on that day ever since.

Customs and Celebrations

Both governmental and non-governmental organisations celebrate this day from all over the globe. They do this by organising activities like marathons, walks, public talks, fitness sessions, exhibitions and science fairs. Some landmarks, monuments, and famous buildings choose to go red on this day as a show of cardiovascular disease awareness. Any person interested in celebrating this day is advised to do so by being more attentive to their heart health. There are several ways one can do that, including partaking in physical exercises, stopping smoking, quitting alcohol and starting eating a healthy diet. Also, have your heart, blood pressure and cholesterol checked frequently.

How to Get Involved

There are numerous ways you can get involved apart from taking part in the events.

You can plan your own event or share tips and encouraging messages on social media. Keep your heart healthy and help others do the same.