Prime Minister and Botany MP Christopher Luxon has taken time out of his very busy schedule to help raise money for a worthy cause.
Luxon spent time this afternoon, February 23, with a group of keen volunteers at the Botany Town Centre to seek donations from the public for the Heart Foundation.
The organisation is asking Kiwis to back heart research through its ‘Big Heart Appeal’, its largest annual fundraiser.
Its medical director, Dr Gerry Devlin, says as heart attacks, heart failure and heart disease continue to rise, especially among the younger population, there’s never been a better time to donate toward life-saving heart research and overseas training for New Zealand cardiologists, funded by the Heart Foundation.
“Heart disease claims the life of one New Zealander every 90 minutes, so it’s vital that we invest in life-saving heart research to help keep families together for longer.
“Globally, we are seeing early deaths from heart disease hitting their highest levels.
“Cases of heart attacks, heart failure and strokes among the under-75s had been declining since the 1960s, due to better prevention and management.
“But now we’re starting to see a reversal of six decades of progress.
“Regardless of age, gender or background, heart issues can happen to anyone.”
