Resolve to Save Lives

About Resolve to Save Lives

Resolve to Save Lives was founded in 2017 by Dr. Tom Friedman, former Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Drawing from his extensive experience in government and philanthropic leadership, Dr. Frieden identified a critical gap in global health efforts: the absence of a coordinated approach to addressing the world’s leading causes of death. Cardiovascular disease remains the foremost global killer, yet most organizations focus narrowly on individual diseases rather than adopting a holistic strategy to prevent epidemics. To bridge this divide, Resolve to Save Lives partners with governments and civil society to implement scalable, evidence-based solutions aimed at reducing preventable deaths.

The organization concentrates its efforts on collaborating with national and local partners in low- and middle-income countries to co-develop, advocate for, and expand initiatives in heart disease prevention and epidemic readiness. Additionally, it engages with global institutions to shape and advance policies that deliver the greatest public health benefits. Supported by funders such as Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Gates Philanthropy Partners—with additional backing from the Chan Zuckerberg Foundation—Resolve to Save Lives is unwavering in its mission to save lives through prevention.