Today marks the start of Heart Failure Awareness Week 2026 (27 April – 3 May). Held every year in April/May, #HFAW is an opportunity for us to shine a light on heart failure and raise awareness about our fantastic Heart Failure Service.
Organised by the British Society for Heart Failure (BSH), in collaboration with the European Society of Cardiology’s Heart Failure Association (ESC-HFA), the campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of recognising heart failure symptoms early, getting an accurate diagnosis and receiving optimal treatment.
Awareness Today, Protection Tomorrow
This year’s theme, ‘Awareness Today, Protection Tomorrow’, highlights the need for proactive measures to prevent complications and improve patient outcomes.
Heart Failure Awareness Week is a call to action to be aware of and look out for the common ‘F word’ symptoms: ‘Fighting for Breath’, ‘Fluid Retention’ and ‘Fatigue’ – not only in yourself, but friends, family and loved ones. Having these conversations could save a life.
Meet our Heart Failure team
Our Heart Failure team will be out and about this Heart Failure Awareness Week offering free blood pressure checks, advice and information about heart failure and how to spot the symptoms.
Their first port of call will be at the Atrium, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, this Wednesday. Come along and say hello!
About Gloucestershire Heart Failure Service
The Gloucestershire Heart Failure Service is nationally recognised for its work to support and improve patient outcomes. The team comprises consultant cardiologists, general practitioners with a special interest (GPwSI) in heart failure, a team of specialist heart failure nurses, an educator, phlebotomists as well as administrative support.
Our team provides assessments for Gloucestershire residents who have suspected heart failure. The investigation for this is called an echocardiogram. If following an echocardiogram a diagnosis of heart failure is confirmed, patients will be reviewed by our GPwSI in heart failure and a heart failure specialist nurse, who, with the patient, will agree a treatment and management plan.
We promote education through information sessions, empowering patients to manage this long-term condition. We also manage patients who have had a recent admission, receiving referrals from the hospital and provide ongoing care to support you at home.
Patients are referred into our service by their GP and the team also accepts self-referrals from patients who have been discharged from the service within the previous 12 months. Please consult with your GP if you wish to access the service.
To find out more about the Heart Failure Service, visit our dedicated page>
Podcast: Alex’s heart failure journey
Our team at Gloucestershire Heart Failure Service has recorded the first in what will be a new series of podcasts.
In episode one, Heart Failure Specialist Nurse Clare Davis speaks with 42-year-old Alex about his heart failure journey.
Alex was diagnosed with heart failure on his 42nd birthday, in November 2024. In this podcast he speaks candidly with Clare about the physical and psychological challenges he faced following his diagnosis and how, with the help and support of the Heart Failure Service, he feels he can now look forward to a healthy and happy future.
Kate to run four half-marathons in aid of heart failure charity
Kate Boye, a Clinical Specialist Cardiovascular Nurse with the Heart Failure team, is taking on an impressive fundraising challenge this year by completing four half‑marathons in support of UK heart failure charity Pumping Marvellous.
Kate’s first event will take place on Sunday 3 May, when she takes part in the MK Marathon Weekend in Milton Keynes: MK Marathon 2026 | Marathon and Half Marathon in Milton Keynes
Speaking about the challenge, Kate said: “This is the first of my four half‑marathons of the year – I must be mad! The event also falls during Heart Failure Awareness Week, which feels like very fitting timing.”
Kate chose to fundraise for Pumping Marvellous due to its vital role in supporting people living with heart failure and increasing public awareness of the condition.
She added: “Pumping Marvellous is a fantastic charity. It provides free information for people with heart failure and plays a crucial role in improving awareness. As a heart failure nurse, this information is essential for helping patients understand and manage their condition.
“When you donate to Pumping Marvellous, you are supporting the one million people living with heart failure across the UK, as well as the 200,000 people diagnosed every year.”
Funds raised will also support the charity’s BEAT HF campaign and enable the delivery of free heart health events across the country, helping to improve early diagnosis and education.
“Most importantly,” Kate said, “you are helping to empower people to self‑manage their condition and live well.”
Anyone wishing to support Kate’s fundraising challenge or find out more can visit her JustGiving page: Kate Boye is fundraising for Pumping Marvellous Foundation
Detect the Undetected: Find Me
Heart failure is the reduced ability of the heart to pump blood around the body properly. It usually occurs because the heart has become too weak or stiff.
Heart failure does not mean your heart has stopped working. But hearts do fail and the diagnosis can be devastating.
Twenty years ago, there were very few treatments apart from palliative symptom relief for those with heart failure. However, we have made incredible advances and now have a plethora of medications, devices and surgical interventions that can both extend and improve length of life and quality of life. The earlier people present with symptoms, the faster they can get access to heart failure specialist care and evidence-based treatment.
THE BSH campaign, Detect the Undetected: Find Me, has been developed to inform and educate while inspiring a sense of hope, encouraging each of us to learn more about this important condition, to recognise symptoms such as fighting for breath, fatigue and fluid build-up in ourselves and our loved ones and to seek timely medical help.
The compelling film above showcases real-life stories of three remarkable couples who share their journey of recognising heart failure symptoms, urging their loved ones to seek medical attention which, in many cases, was a crucial step in saving their lives.
