The World Heart Federation will honor Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association, with its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award on August 29 during the European Society of Cardiology Congress and World Congress of Cardiology in Madrid. This recognition celebrates Brown's extraordinary leadership and lifelong commitment to transforming cardiovascular health on a global scale. The award acknowledges Brown's visionary approach to addressing cardiovascular disease, the world's leading cause of death. Under her leadership since 2008, the American Heart Association has advanced lifesaving science, innovation and advocacy across more than 100 countries through quality improvement initiatives, scientific collaboration and community-based interventions.
Among her most significant accomplishments are the development of global quality improvement programs that evolved from concepts in the late 1990s to robust systems including Get With The Guidelines and American Heart Association certification programs operating in the United States, Mexico, Latin America, India and parts of Asia. These programs help measure and ensure consistent, evidence-based care in time-sensitive medical situations such as heart attack, stroke and cardiac arrest. Brown has also accelerated research and innovation through initiatives like the Go Red for Women Venture Fund®, which has invested $75 million in companies addressing gaps in women's heart and brain health. Overall, the Heart Association has invested $6.1 billion in research since 1949.
Additionally, she has mobilized lifesaving campaigns including the Association's CPR education effort known as the Nation of Lifesavers™, which aims to double survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest by 2030. The organization trains approximately 22 million people annually in CPR and develops first aid and resuscitation guidelines used globally. Jagat Narula, president of the World Heart Federation, praised Brown's courage in facing dynamic healthcare challenges through evidence, compassion and impact focus. The World Heart Federation, consisting of more than 200 heart foundations, scientific societies and patient organizations across more than 100 countries, recognizes Brown's work as transformative in the global fight against cardiovascular disease. This award highlights the critical importance of sustained leadership and international collaboration in addressing the world's leading cause of mortality, demonstrating how strategic initiatives can create measurable improvements in healthcare systems and patient outcomes worldwide.
