Indians in Singapore pose a higher risk of getting cardiovascular diseases due to the trend of having high cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure).
“At the board level and at the volunteer level, we are trying to get more volunteers from the Indian community so that it’s easier to spread the message of heart health,” said Singapore Heart Foundation’s (SHF) chief executive officer Geoffrey Ong.
Other initiatives include the Art for the Heart 2026 art competition, which saw a record number of over 2,000 submissions from young artists aged seven to 17 nationwide.
The participants needed to demonstrate a general understanding of cardiovascular diseases and the healthy lifestyle habits to prevent them through their designs.
Thirty of the best artworks were shortlisted and put on display as part of the “Next Stop: Your Healthier Heart” showcase at Bayfront MRT station from Sept 4 to Nov 30.
Members of the public can vote for their favourites by scanning a QR code printed on the showcase by Oct 31. The winners for the top three artworks to secure the largest number of public votes will be announced on Nov 6 via SHF’s website and social media platforms.
One of the shortlisted artists was Ms Khadeejah Binte Muhammad Anurrafiq.
The Primary 5 student from Alsagoff Arab School completed her A3-sized artwork entirely in one session, taking about seven hours in total from conceptualising her design to sketching and shading it with coloured pencils.
It featured a large organ heart in the centre, surrounded by small motifs of fruits and outlined figures with dance-like motion lines to symbolise healthier food choices and exercise. The brightly coloured artwork also depicted a young woman in sportswear jogging along a trail with the sun rising on the horizon.
“A healthy heart leads to a brighter future. I want people to remember that small healthy habits can make a big difference. If we take care of our heart and body, we can live a healthier and happier life,” Ms Khadeejah told tabla!
She added that the competition taught her the importance of prioritising heart health from a young age and proved how art can be an accessible platform to convey this message.
“The quality of art production is really very high,” said Ms Denise Phua, Mayor of Central Singapore and MP for Jalan Besar GRC, who officiated the showcase’s launch event on Sept 4.
Different age groups brought forth different manifestations of what they know about the heart. The views of the younger participants were more innocent and pure, while the older ones thought of deeper concepts to illustrate heart health, Ms Phua observed.
“It’s a creative way to instil heart health education in places where there is a lot of public access like the MRT (stations), and it’s all the more important because cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in Singapore,” she noted.
Engaging the youth also helps connect with seniors in their golden years, who may define heart health rather differently. SHF CEO Geoffrey Ong shared that the older generation is less inclined to eat healthy and think: “I am already at this age. Why should I care?”
“Children are actually very powerful advocates and influencers,” said Mr Ong, and explained that while his mother does not listen to him, she will listen to his 8-year-old son who wants his grandmother “to live as long as possible”.
Through Art for the Heart 2026, SHF aims to leverage this intergenerational influence to create more impactful conversations around heart health.
Another feature of the showcase was a display of medical devices and technology presented by Terumo Asia Holdings, a global healthcare company that has a longstanding collaboration with SHF and SMRT Trains.
In 2024, all three organisations jointly launched the first two Health@Station Kiosks located in Tanjong Pagar and Promenade MRT stations; this was further expanded in October 2025 to four additional stations on the Circle Line.
“The idea was to bring blood pressure monitoring and heart health awareness to everyday Singaporeans. Together, we have recorded more than 350,000 blood pressure readings through our Health@Stations,” Mr Ong said in his speech at the launch event.
Given that high blood pressure often has no obvious signs or symptoms, he hopes these community initiatives will “encourage more people to know their numbers, understand their risks, and take greater ownership of their heart health”.
