About Us
Heart Support-Australia is the only national heart support organisation of its kind in Australia. HS-A provides, in collaboration with medical practitioners, allied health professionals and community organisations, an organised approach to the enhancement of quality of life for the more than 2 million Australians and their families affected by cardiovascular disease and heart conditions.
HS-A is a national, volunteer, not-for-profit organisation committed to the establishment of self-help management programs and the adoption of nationwide information and rehabilitation initiatives for people with a heart condition.
Our motto "Support - Information - Encouragement" is exemplified in the services provided by our Heart Health Support Service, who offer a free of charge support service for heart patients and their families (not conditional upon membership). The organisation has branches throughout Australia.
HS-A is primarily a service provider and not a fund raising organisation. However, all HS-A branches raise funds as they see necessary for the maintenance of their branch and assistance with their community service activities. Funds acquired by the National Office cover the administrative costs associated with projects undertaken by the Office and the overall administration of branches.
Our History
Heart Support Australia (HS-A) had a humble beginning, commencing from a need of community members with a heart condition and their carers to find support, information and encouragement in a time when this was lacking. Discharge from a hospital after cardiothoracic surgery was often accompanied by prescriptive instructions on how to live for the following six (6) weeks. But once that period was over, there was little or no information on how to continue, how to maintain a lifestyle, how to cope with changing emotions, depression, employment and maintaining dietary changes. The lack of information and support was often greater in rural areas and for those living alone. It was into this climate that HS-A introduced its branch network.
The organisation began in 1986 as the Australian Cardiac Association Ltd (ACA), forming from the amalgamation of three "Zipper" Clubs (Brisbane, ACT and Batemans Bay). The small group of people who formed the steering committee to establish ACA had all been through the trauma of a heart event. They were determined that there were things that they could do to draw attention to the needs of people with a heart condition, and assist with the development and implementation of appropriate services and programs for these people. The committee wanted to build an organisation which was independent, owed allegiance to its members, heart patients and their families and provided a community service for them. At the same time they wanted to develop contact, rapport and collaboration with the medical and allied health professions, health care institutions and other organisations.
From the time of the organisation's inception, HS-A has developed into an Australia wide organisation recognised as the national support organisation for people with a heart condition.
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