PRESS RELEASE
KappAhl - record donation to women’s heart charity
2010-06-16
KappAhl - record donation to women’s heart charity
The “Save Women’s Hearts – Go Red” campaign of the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation has attracted a record donation this year from its partner KappAhl and its customers. A cheque for 1 064 000 kronor was handed over today by CEO Christian W Jansson to Staffan Josephson, Secretary General of the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation.
“We are privileged to be able to share our success by supporting deserving causes,” says Christian W. Jansson, CEO and principal shareholder of KappAhl.
“Go Red” is a good example of a cause that KappAhl is delighted to sponsor,” says Christian W. Jansson. It is a research project which supports our primary target group, women. The campaign is running in a number of countries in which we are active, and we are supporting a highly reputed organization.
Women are affected by heart diseases to an equally high degree as men. However, today’s heart care is based largely on research into men’s hearts. We need to know more about women’s hearts in order for the treatment received by patients to be matched to their gender, body size and age.
The Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation raises funds for research with the aim of increasing our knowledge of diagnostics, treatment and rehabilitation based on the differences between the sexes. KappAhl has contributed to the campaign by selling Go Red-pins in the form of a red dress and an armband designed by Caroline Liljeblad and by marketing the campaign to its members. A record result has been achieved this year. The sum raised includes a donation of almost 90 000 kronor from KappAhl, which is 10% of the company’s pin sales in Sweden.
“The result of KappAhl’s fund-raising work has more than trebled since the start of our cooperation. From less than 300 000 kronor in 2008 to more than a million kronor this year. KappAhl and its customers help us to contribute to research that will increase both the survival rate and the quality of life for women,” says Staffan Josephson, Secretary General of the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation.
You can help our fundraising effort by making a deposit in the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation’s postal giro account 90 91 92-7 quoting the reference “women’s hearts” or by sending a donation via our campaign website, www.hjart-lungfonden.se/kvinna. You can also text HEART to 72 900 to donate 50 kronor to our research.
For more information, please contact:
Anna Sjödin, PR Officer at the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation, telephone 0708-54 42 39,
anna.sjodin@hjart-lungfonden.se
Ann-Marie Heinonen, Sponsoring Manager, KappAhl, telephone 0704 -71 55 95,
ann-marie.heinonen@kappahl.com
The Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation was established in 1904 as part of the fight against tuberculosis (TB). Today, the aim of the Foundation is to eradicate both heart and lung diseases. The Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation raises funds and distributes money for research and provides information about cardio-vascular diseases. The Foundation receives no government funding, and its activities are entirely dependent on donations from private individuals and companies. The Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation has the following fundraising accounts: postal giro 90 91 92-7 and bank giro 909-1927. www.hjart-lungfonden.se
KappAhl is a leading fashion chain with almost 350 shops and 4 800 employees in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Poland and the Czech Republic. KappAhl sells moderately priced fashion for many people – women, men and children – and its main target market is women in the 30-50 age group with a family. All garments are designed by the company’s in-house designers. KappAhl was the first fashion chain to gain environmental certification in 1999. KappAhl’s turnover in the 2008/2009 financial year was approximately 5 billion kronor, and the trading result was 525 million kronor. KappAhl is listed on the Nasdaq OMX in Stockholm. More information can be found at www.kappahl.com.
Facts about women and cardio-vascular disease
Most common cause of death. Cardio-vascular disease is the most common cause of death in women.
20 000 per year. More than 20 000 women die from cardio-vascular disease every year. This is equivalent to 55 women every day.
41 myocardial infarctions every day. Approximately 41 women in Sweden suffer a myocardial infarction every day.
Smaller heart and narrower blood vessels. Women have a smaller heart and narrower blood vessels than men.
Affected later than men. Women are affected by the same cardio-vascular diseases as men, for example myocardial infarction, heart failure, angina, arrhythmia and stroke, but on average ten years later.
Certain cardiac diseases are more common among women. Women are overrepresented in certain cardiac diseases, for example cardiomyopathy and so-called silent infarctions. The risk of stroke and haemorrhage is also greater among women.
The Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation seeks to halve the death rate from acute myocardial infarction within ten years, and for women this will mean more than 2 000 lives saved every year.