NI Chest Heart & Stroke (NICHS) is a health charity working for the prevention and alleviation of chest, heart and stroke illnesses in Northern Ireland.  These illnesses account for more than 6,000 deaths every year. A further 200,000 people are living with chest, heart and stroke conditions, conditions which often severely affect their daily lives.

We fund programmes of research in our local hospitals and universities into the treatment and prevention of these illnesses.

In addition, we provide a broad range of services in every part of Northern Ireland for people affected by stroke, lung disease and heart conditions.

We run health promotion campaigns to protect current and future generations from these illnesses.

In the last 20 years the number of people under the age of 75 dying as a result of coronary heart disease has fallen by 71% in Northern Ireland, but there is still much work to do. The fact that fewer people are dying means that many more are living with the effects of heart disease.

We also speak out on behalf of those we serve, campaigning for easier access to cardiac surgery, admission to stroke units and more effective treatment for respiratory disease.