Heart and stroke impact report

OUR MISSION: 2014 IMPACT REPORT

SAVE LIVES

PREVENT DISEASE

PROMOTE RECOVERY

YOUR GIFTS AT WORK A PROGRESS REPORT ON WHAT WE’RE ACHIEVING TOGETHER

THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT THIS PAST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO:

CREATE 165,000 SURVIVORS THROUGH

HEART AND STROKE FOUNDATION-FUNDED

RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

TEACH 450,000

,000 ENGAGE 160 SCHOOL CHILDREN TO

CANADIANS HOW TO

PARTICIPATE IN HEALTHY LIVING ACTIVITIES,

TO SAVE A LIFE THROUGH CPR

EAT WELL, AND BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE

Dr. Sonia Anand (centre) with her family

Dr. Sonia Anand McMaster University Thanks to you, Dr. Anand has found specific differences in how men and women experience a heart attack.

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Her team has also tested a useful risk score to predict heart attack risk in women and men from around the globe.

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1-877-882-2582 heartandstroke.ca/yourimpact

With your support of research like Dr. Anand’s, more men and women can be supported to take steps for reducing their risk and spared from the devastating effects of a heart attack.

TOGETHER WE CAN CREATE MORE SURVIVORS 4 IMPACT REPORT

HSF 15-STEW1-BR-EN

WHAT'S INSIDE Like Grandfather, Like Grandson..................... 2 The Next Big Leap................................................ 3 Helping Kids........................................................... 3 Thanks to Your Support..................................... 4

THE NEXT BIG LEAP FOR STROKE

LIKE GRANDFATHER, LIKE GRANDSON YOUR SUPPORT HELPS CREATE GENERATIONS OF SURVIVORS Late one night in December 2005, Ray Johnson, 64, was rushed to St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg for what turned out to be successful emergency triple-bypass surgery.

While visiting Ray in recovery, his daughter Raelene, who was nine months’ pregnant, went into labour and was admitted to hospital, just one floor above her father.

What began as an amusing coincidence quickly turned into a nightmare when the baby’s heart rate registered off the charts at 200 beats per minute.

“ There have been a lot of advancements in heart treatments thanks to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Both my grandson and I have benefited from medications and treatments that extend the lives of patients of all ages.”

For the past 12 years, the Foundation has supported the research of Dr. Edward Pryzdial, who is looking for the next revolution in stroke treatment.

Dr. Pryzdial is investigating a promising tPA alternative called Factor Xa (FXa), which can break up clots, reduce the risk of haemorrhage and reduce clot resistance to treatment — all without the harmful side effects of current drugs.

This blood clot-breaking alternative has the potential to give patients safer, faster and more effective treatments. It could be stroke’s next big leap.

At the University of Calgary, Dr. Theresa Green is looking for the predictors of marital stressors after one partner has a mild-stroke.

Specifically, she and her team examine mild stroke impairments pertaining to a patient’s behaviour, personality, mood and cognitive changes, and the impacts on spousal relationships.

“Many times, patients with mild stroke were, and still are, discharged very quickly from acute care – often without rehabilitation services or followup from stroke specialists,” says Green.

“We call these patients the ‘Walking Wounded.’ ” Her goal is to help relationships by providing coping resources, which in turn will also aid in the patient’s physical recovery.

— Ray Johnson, 64

Raelene’s unborn child, Atli, was facing his own battle with heart disease. Raelene was rushed in for an emergency C-section and Atli was diagnosed with chaotic atrial tachycardia (an irregular heartbeat).

Ray, meanwhile, suffered a minor stroke last winter, but thanks to your support got help quickly and is recovering well. Today, he is grateful for every moment he can spend playing ball or going fishing with his grandson.

After doctors stopped and started Atli’s heart several times to try to gain normal rhythm, Atli had to stay in neonatal intensive care for three weeks before he was allowed to go home. He has made tremendous progress since then, and has been medication-free for three years.

Creating survivors like Ray and Atli is why we do what we do at the Heart and Stroke Foundation — and with the support of generous donors like you we’ll keep finding ways to prevent these diseases from affecting our children and grandchildren for generations to come.

2 IMPACT REPORT

Dr. Edward Pryzdial University of British Columbia

Dr. Theresa Green University of Calgary

HELPING KIDS MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES • I n a Foundation pilot project for youth, 1,400 children in grades 4-6 in 29 schools across Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan learned about the importance of physical activity, nutrition and remaining smoke-free.

• I mplementation of the Sip Smart program in all regions of Quebec sensitized children on the amount of sugar in sugar sweetened beverages and encouraged the consumption of water.

•S tudents in PEI, and Newfoundland and Labrador learned about healthy lunch and snack choices for back to school.

IMPACT REPORT 3