Beat as one
More lives saved: The transformative power of research
Since 1952, thanks to the dedication of our wonderful donors, partners and volunteers, we have helped cut the death rate of heart disease and stroke by 75%. Your support has enabled transformative change in every community across Canada, including:
• The first successful open-heart surgery in Canada, paving the way for a revolution in cardiac care
• The first heart transplant surgery in Canada, providing hope for deadly heart conditions
• Using clot-busting drugs to treat ischemic stroke –increasing a patient’s chance of minimal or no disability after three months
• World leaders in integrating endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) into clinical best practices – a stroke treatment that can reduce death rate by 50%
• Advancing women’s heart and brain health through more than $25 million invested in women-focused research and public education on health inequities
While we’ve made incredible progress, heart disease and stroke remain the number killer globally. In Canada, one person dies every seven minutes from heart disease or stroke.
The need to keep the momentum going, moving discoveries into action that supports longer, healthier lives, remains urgent.
Your donations will continue to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs from world-class researchers like Dr. Douglas Lee and Dr. Peter Liu, highlighted in this issue. Thank you for standing with us in the fight to beat heart disease and stroke!
Beat heart disease and stroke: Your donations are driving life-saving progress
As our population ages – and more young people are diagnosed with our conditions – our commitment to world-class research, advocacy and systems change, public awareness, education and patient engagement and support has never been stronger.
Our key priorities:
• Prevent the surge of heart failure: Nearly 800,000 Canadians live with heart failure and 100,000 more are diagnosed each year. We’ve launched a national action plan to advance research, prevent heart damage and create new treatments.
• Transform the stroke system and care: Stroke can strike in an instant, leaving 60% of survivors with some disability. As Canada’s stroke authority, we’re raising awareness of the signs of stroke (FAST), fueling medical discoveries and providing evidence-based guidelines to deliver world-class care.
• Improve cardiac arrest survival rates: Only 1 in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. We’re
training Canadians in CPR and AED use and implementing programs like CardiacCrash™ to empower bystanders to save lives.
• Closing the gap in health inequities: Women, Indigenous, and Black communities face higher risks. Through partnerships and targeted research, we’re building a more equitable health system.
• Champion congenital heart disease and lifelong care: Congenital heart disease affects 1 in 100 babies, with most now living into adulthood. But they still face gaps in care. We’re building an action plan to improve lifelong support and outcomes.
• Fighting for healthier generations: We’re championing smoke-free spaces, regulations to create a vape-free generation, better food policies, access to affordable medication, and safeguards against harmful marketing to kids.
Thank you for helping to prevent disease, transform care and save lives!
Know your risks. Beat your risks.
The risk of heart disease and stroke can build quietly throughout a woman’s life. From their reproductive years to menopause and post-menopause, these risks aren’t always loud, but they are very real. That’s why we created Risk Screen – a simple way to recognize your risk and take action to manage them.
The heart-brain connection:
Research teams led by Dr. Douglas Lee and Dr. Peter are working to improve outcomes and save more lives.
The heart and brain are so deeply connected that developing one condition means being at risk for others. For example, people with heart failure are three times more likely to have a stroke.
In response, Heart & Stroke and Brain Canada launched the ground-breaking Heart-Brain Connection IMPACT Award in 2022.
Since then, two multi-disciplinary teams involving close to 100 researchers from institutions across Canada have been studying urgent questions linking heart and brain health. One team, led by Dr. Peter Liu, a cardiologist at the University of Ottawa is motivated by “seeing patients fall through the cracks created when heart and brain conditions are treated and researched separately.”
With patient partners, predict who is at risk and testing new treatments to protect both the heart and the brain. Beyond considering risk factors, the project uses big data and artificial intelligence to identify those with higher risks, encouraging them to participate in determining their outcomes.
Dr. Douglas Lee of the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre in Toronto’s University Health Network and his team are seeking better ways to diagnose possible strokes early and prevent devastating effects such as paralysis. His team is developing new methods to diagnose early declines in brain function so that patients can receive preventative strategies. They are also studying the intersection between heart failure and dementia – which may radically change how those conditions are treated in the future.
Heart & Stroke-approved recipes, this 21-day dinner plan is based on the Mediterranean diet and includes weekly shopping lists. heartandstroke.ca/toolkit
Fall’s comfort soup
Add warmth to autumn days with low-sodium carrot squash soup. Easy to make and packed with Heart & Stroke-approved goodness, it’s sure to become a family favourite! heartandstroke.ca/carrotsquashsoup
The legacy gift that saved a fathers life
In February 2018, eight-year-old Max Pozzo attended a Jump Rope for Heart school assembly, where he learned the FAST signs of stroke. Just five days later, he saved his dad’s life.
Max noticed something was wrong – his father Mike had a headache and was struggling to speak and lift both his arms. Remembering what he’d learned, Max helped the 9-1-1 operator. “I think he’s having a stroke!” declared Max after checking for the signs.
And it was all thanks to the generosity of legacy donors Victoria and Michael Shalapata. The gift left by the Shalapatas would be used by Heart & Stroke to help teach kids the signs of stroke. Max was one of them.
Terry Mills, executor of his aunt and uncle’s estate, spoke with awe at the impact of the legacy gift: “The whole family was thrilled that the funds helped save somebody’s life.” Max, now 15, and Mike still reflect – gratefully and emotionally – on the time they’ve shared since that day.
Stories like this are possible because legacy donors—people like the Shalapatas—choose to make an impact for generations to come. You can too!
“ If I never learned FAST signs of stroke, we wouldn’t be here today.
”
Your legacy gift will make an impact for generations to come. Together, we can build a future where everyone enjoys longer, healthier lives uninterrupted by heart disease or stroke.
Contact numbers are: Mary Goodfellow - ON 1-800-205-4438
Angela Gresseau-OkalowQC, NS, PEI, NL 1-416-386-4517 A lifesaving gift, a legacy of hope
Susan Deike - BC, AB, SK, MB 1-403-451-3675
– Max Pozzo Scan here A gift of securities is one of the most cost-effective ways to support the cause that’s close to your heart. Learn more at: heartandstroke.ca/securities
Create your Will online and save 20%
We’ve partnered with Epilogue to make leaving a legacy gift to Heart & Stroke fast, easy and affordable. You’ll be guided every step of the way and your 20% discount will be applied automatically at checkout. Get started today: heartandstroke.ca/will