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The Heartbeat of Football Foundation has announced it has secured an additional grant of $150,000 from the NSW Government to deliver more community sport focused heart health initiatives across regional NSW sporting grounds until 2026.

This funding follows on from the Heartbeat of Football Foundation having secured a grant of $50,000 from the NSW Government in March to deliver its community sport focused heart health initiatives across regional sporting grounds through its ‘Heart Health Matters - Community Sport’ initiative.

Education, awareness, training, and preventative screening of Cardiovascular disease (CVD) provided as part of this project provides people the knowledge, reassurance and confidence to continue to enjoy the many benefits of participating regularly in sport and active recreation  irrespective of age, ability, gender or background.

The impact of CVD is greater for those living in regional and rural areas and underserved population groups including First Nations; Women and Multicultural communities.

The '#HeartHealthMatters - Community + Sport' project is about helping build stronger, healthier, happier, and safer communities, by raising awareness about heart health issues; encouraging people to make positive health choices and delivering preventative Heart Health activities.

The project will support 40 x #HeartHealthMatters Days across NSW with a focus on regional communities and those local government areas (LGAs) identified as high-risk heart hotspots (85% regional and 15% metro): delivering across all 10 NSW Government regions (Hunter; North Coast; Central Coast; Metropolitan Sydney; Illawarra; South East & Tablelands; New England/North West; Central West and Orana; Riverina Murray and the Far West);

This project supports other NSW Government initiatives, including the Local Sport Defibrillator program, and recent Budget programs including GP bulk billing relief; help for hospital emergency departments; infrastructure upgrades - all focused on supporting the economic development and wellbeing of regional communities.

The "#HeartHealthMatters - Community + Sport" project recognises that sport acts as a catalyst for community development, bringing communities together, building character, drives social change (integration & inclusion), inspires future generations, and promotes a healthy lifestyle.

NSW Sports Minister Steve Kamper noted "the intersection of community, sport, and health plays a vital role in shaping regional communities across NSW. By continuing to invest in and support these areas, regional communities in NSW can thrive and become more resilient and vibrant.

"Andy and the team at Heartbeat of Football Foundation deliver meaningful outcomes each weekend at sporting grounds and community events. It made sense to extend our support for the next few years, so that they continue making a difference to people, families and sporting communities across NSW."

The Foundation presenting as both Heartbeat of Football & Heartbeat of Sport has now delivered over 12,000 nurse-led preventative heart health screening tests across Australia as well as provided over 1500 people with CPR & AED confidence sessions - growing the bystander network willing and able to respond to an emergency cardiac situation.

HOF founder Andrew Paschalidis added "this additional support from the NSW Government and Minister Kamper is a game-changer.

"The fact that we will be able to deliver 85% (34 of the 40) #HeartHealthMatters days across regional NSW is truly transformative. CVD disproportionately affects those in regional and rural areas, and underserved groups like First Nations, women, and multicultural communities. Enhanced funding can significantly reduce these disparities and improve overall health outcomes.”

The '#HeartHealthMatters - Community + Sport' project will be delivering heart health checks to as many people as possible for key modifiable risk factors - Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar and Cholesterol at their local sports ground. In addition, it will be holding CPR and AED confidence sessions to build a stronger & more diverse network of bystander confidence as every minute counts when a person is in cardiac arrest - as the chance of survival decreases by 10% every minute.

More information on Heartbeat of Football Foundation 

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