Slow response to heart appeal

Press, 29 July 1989, Page 8

Slow response to heart appeal

By

DEBORAH MCPHERSON

A National Heart Foundation appeal to raise money, for research into heart disease had received a disappointing response, said the foundation’s medical director, Dr David Hay, yesterday. Dr Hay said the postal appeal aimed to raise about $500,000 but had raised only about 20 per cent of the target since it was launched three weeks ago. The slow response to the appeal was disappointing in the light of the many people who called the foundation in response to the recent "Heartline’’ television programme. The foundation sponsored the show after which more than 5300 people called a free three-day telephone advice service. Many callers were re-

ferred to specialist services. "Television New Zealand said the show captured 22 per cent of the population which is regarded as a pretty good rating for a programme of this nature,” said Dr Hay. Dr Hay said he hoped people would still respond to the appeal. Canterbury people could be assured their money would be spent locally, even though the postal address was in Auckland, he said. Since the foundation was established 21 years ago, it had funded research in Canterbury to the tune of $1.75 million. The foundation has last week received applications from throughout the country for research grants totally $1.6 million, but it wbuld only be able to fund a third of the grants.