Thirty two projects to receive €1M donation for prevention of AF-related stroke

Aug 29 2011

Last night at an award ceremony in Paris, the 32 winning projects of the global disease awareness initiative 1 Mission 1 Million - Getting to the Heart of Stroke were announced. The projects were chosen by the public and a panel of experts. They will be awarded a share of the €1 million donation to fulfil the overall mission of preventing as many as one million atrial fibrillation (AF)-related strokes through awareness campaigns. 1 Mission 1 Million is supported by over 45 third-party organisations around the world and is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim.

"I am thrilled that so many countries are set to benefit from 1 Mission 1 Million," said renowned actress Jane Seymour, ambassador for the initiative. "I have very personal reasons for being involved with this as my mother had AF and unfortunately had a stroke as a result of the condition. AF-related strokes can be incredibly debilitating and I am proud to be part of this initiative which has given the public the power to allocate €1 million to projects which will really make a difference to the lives of people with AF and their families."

Winners of 1 Mission 1 Million span the globe from Malaysia to Canada and include a range of individuals, patient and professional groups and healthcare centres from 18 different countries. The winning projects include the design of an iPhone app to detect an irregular heart rhythm, the production of a disease awareness video, the local provision of electrocardiogram monitoring, and an online social media platform. Spain leads the way with a total of five winners, followed by France and Germany with four winners each.

"The winners have now been announced but this is just the beginning," said Professor John Camm, 1 Mission 1 Million Expert Panel member. "AF is the most common sustained heart rhythm disorder worldwide, leading to as many as 3 million strokes globally each year. Furthermore, a staggering one in four adults over the age of 40 will develop AF in their lifetime. These projects will take an important step in preventing AF-related strokes and have the potential to save many lives across the world."

Source: Boehringer Ingelheim