Sarawak Heart Foundation

The Sarawak Heart Foundation (SHF) was formally set up in 1995 under the Companies Act 1965 and launched by the Chief Minister of Sarawak on 6th September 1997. However, it was SABATI, under the leadership of YABhg. Datuk Amar Puan Sri Laila Taib, that actually founded and created SHF. SABATI (short form for Sarawak Badan Amal Tenaga Isteri-Isteri) was formed in 1982 to help individuals and contribute to charitable institutions. Amongst SABATI’s many charitable activities was sourcing for funds to assist heart patients who were from the lower income group and from 1988 to 1977, it had sponsored 384 heart patients to undergo operations and treatments. In 1995, SABATI mooted the idea of setting up a dedicated organization to look into issues and problems related to heart diseases which led to the formation of SHF. The Sarawak Heart Foundation (SHF) is a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to heart patients who are genuinely poor for heart operations and treatments as well as purchase and donate specialized medical equipment to hospitals. In addition, SHF also provides grants to medical institutions for research work on heart related diseases while taking steps to inform the general public on prevention of heart diseases through seminars, talks, publications and public events. SHF also partners with individuals and organizations in activities to bring greater awareness of this ‘silent killer’ in the society and welcomes contributions from the public to further its range of activities and efforts aimed at reducing, prevention and eventually eradication of heart related diseases.