When we talk about heart failure in India, most people think of endings — not beginnings. For many, the diagnosis brings silence, fear, or confusion. But at Heart Health India Foundation (HHIF), we’ve seen something else. We’ve seen people adapt, recover, and return to life with purpose. So when the Heart Failure Association of India (HFAI) and European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Heart Failure Association invited entries for their 2025 poster competition under the theme “Heart Failure Doesn’t Stop Us”, the HHIF team knew exactly what story we wanted to tell — one that doesn’t centre fear, but resilience. One that shifts the spotlight from prognosis to possibility. We participated with a simple message: “Heart Failure Didn’t Win. It’s the Pulse of a New Beginning.” That message won us the Second Prize in this global competition — but more importantly, it helped us put patient voices front and centre, where they belong. Our team at HHIF saw this not just as a contest, but as a chance to show the world what we believe in every day — that heart failure doesn’t end lives, it reshapes them. And so, we created a poster titled: “Heart Failure Didn’t Win. It’s the Pulse of a New Beginning.”
HHIF’s Role: A Patient-Led Community with a Purpose
We’re not a medical facility. A campaign office is not what we are. We are India’s first patient-led community, created by survivors for survivors. Each person on our staff has supported someone during their recuperation. A few of us have experienced it firsthand. That is what distinguishes our work. HHIF prioritises public awareness, emotional assistance, and peer support. We take late-night calls from patients who have just received a diagnosis. We spoke to families that simply want to know what to do next. We stay involved long after discharge, have survivor circles, and listen more than we talk. People are not viewed as patients by us. We see them as human beings who are capable of rebuilding, confused, scared, and hopeful. We incorporated this viewpoint into our poster. “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”— Maya Angelou
Our Approach: Let the Stories Lead
The poster wasn’t created with numbers in mind. Voices were the foundation of our design. We met with individuals who are live examples of how heart failure does not mean that life ends. They weren’t asked to say anything noteworthy. We just asked them to be candid about their routine, their worry, and how they managed to get through the days when it seemed hard to even sit up. Every story was heartfelt. There was no coercion. For effect, no lines were changed. We acted in accordance with what they said. At HHIF, we knew that had to change.
We didn’t create this poster to inspire. We created it to correct the imbalance — to document the real emotional journey after a cardiac event, the slow return to routine, the importance of family and peer support, and the psychological shift that comes with recovery.
Each of the stories highlighted three key ideas:
- Heart failure is not the end.
- Recovery is possible, even if different from before.
- Support — medical, social, and emotional — makes the difference.
The Process: Listening With Care, Creating With Intent
There was a lengthy, sincere discussion behind each sentence on that poster. All of the participants were members of HHIF’s support system, for whom we were incredibly thankful and who had faith in us. After telephonic in-depth interviews, the HHIF team analysed themes like emotional recovery, medication discipline, peer connection, and medical trust. These weren’t buzzwords. They were repeated experiences — patterns in the lives of people who had learned how to live with, and beyond, heart failure.
This shaped the final structure of the poster:
- What we learned
- What helped them recover
- What they’d tell others
- What needs to be better understood
We made certain that privacy was maintained, informed consent was obtained, and emotional comfort was given top priority. These were not research paper interviews. They involved discussions between individuals who had experienced a life-altering event and who at last had someone enquire about not only what transpired but also how it felt.
The HHIF team then dedicated hours to going over the remarks, finding common themes, and creating the poster with the sole objective of making the audience feel heard. Each word was carefully selected. From “What We Learnt” to “Key Takeaways,” each piece mirrored our fundamental conviction that routine, emotional fortitude, and support are just as crucial as therapy. Days passed during this process. At times, we spent hours sitting with quotes, allowing their significance to sink in. We stopped at times, weighing the significance of what was said. Despite everything, we realised that we had something valuable in our possession: the voices of those who dared to have hope once more.
Winning the Prize: What It Meant to All of Us
When we heard the news — HHIF had won the Second Prize in the poster competition — it was emotional. This wasn’t just a win. It was recognition for every voice, every story, every small recovery that often goes unnoticed. This prize belongs to the patients who trusted us with their truth. It belongs to the team who worked quietly behind the scenes, putting their hearts into every sentence. And it belongs to everyone who has ever felt alone after a diagnosis, wondering if life could go back to something they recognised. It can. And it does. Our win proved that these stories matter — and that the people living them deserve to be heard on national stages.
Key Takeaways: What Our Poster Tried to Say
- Recovery is not just physical. It is emotional, daily, and deeply personal.
- Support makes all the difference. Whether it’s family, peers, or someone who simply listens.
- Life continues. It may change shape, but it does not stop.
- Heart failure survivors are not rare stories. They are everywhere — and they’re strong, consistent, and rebuilding.
- We need to talk more. Silence delays healing. Sharing speeds it up.
Our poster didn’t try to impress. It tried to connect. And that’s what made it real.
An Invitation to Stay Connected
At HHIF, our work continues — through conversations, support circles, educational posts, and patient resources. We are here for anyone who needs to hear, “You’re not alone.” If you’re living with heart failure, or supporting someone who is, know this: you are not your diagnosis. You are your routine, your strength, your questions, your small wins.
To everyone who trusted us with their story, to the team that crafted every word with care, and to the organisers who saw the value in real experiences — thank you. We’ll keep listening. And we’ll keep speaking up — because these stories deserve to be heard.
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