PASSING OF THE TORCH FOR THE HEART INSTITUTE LEADERSHIP - PG 4
AN EXECUTIVE CHEF’S BRUSH WITH DEATH. A STORY BY JOEL HASLAM - PG 5
THE HEART INSTITUTE AUXILIARY: VOLUNTEERS WHO MAKE THE INSTITUTE A PLACE OF CARING - PG 14
HEART INSTITUTE HEADLINE NEWS - PG 2
JUMP IN™ FOR WOMEN’S HEART HEALTH RETURNS NATIONALLY THIS FALL - PG 17
MEET OUR DATA SCIENTISTS: AI & THE NEXT FRONTIER OF HEALTHCARE - PG 10
One of my all-time favourite books is “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” by Robin Sharma. The book had a profound impact on my life, especially as I transitioned roles in my professional life.
Its premise is to teach the reader how to build a life that guarantees long-lasting happiness and fulfillment. It may sound cheesy; but it helped shift my thinking to creating a life of passion and purpose. Recently I picked up his latest book “The Everyday Hero.” Just a few chapters in, I came across a quote that aligned so vividly with the work we do, that I marked it knowing I wanted to share it.
“Health is the crown on the well person’s head that only the ill person can see.”
This statement reflects the daily reality of the patients and families whose lives have been forever altered by a health crisis. This is what we see every day at the Ottawa Heart Institute. Heart disease can have devastating consequences, but also, because of our brilliant surgeons, cardiologists, nurses, and technicians, can have profound positive outcomes. There is hope and transformation allowing the sick to regain health, time, and opportunity.
There are crowns to be worn even if they come with a few battle scars.
Whether you are going through a transformation of your own, the words from this book bring comfort and empowerment. Change in life is inevitable and despite fearing change and the unknown I am learning to embrace it and give in.
Change is also a sign of progress and there have been several here at the Heart Institute. We continue to evolve and grow, expanding our mindset, opportunities, and human resources. In March we saw the transfer of leadership from Dr. Thierry Mesana to Dr. Rob Beanlands. It was an emotional and inspiring time, allowing us to look back on how far we have come and charting the vision and path forward.
We welcomed our new Chief of Surgery Dr. Pierre Voisine and celebrated the recent announcement that Dr. Katey Rayner will become our Chief Scientific Officer. Katey is the first woman in Institute history appointed to this role. Exciting new developments include the completion of the Data Science Centre and the expanded launch of the Mobile Valve Clinic which is helping more seniors access life-saving screening in their communities.
In this edition, I hope you are inspired by our patient stories of personal triumphs after health adversity. There is always a steady flow of new equipment, evolving research breakthroughs and publications. Our team is always looking for ways to engage with you, our donors.
I continue to be in awe of the impact of our surgeons, cardiologists, nurses, scientists, researchers, physiotherapists, coaches, health care teams and support staff. We are here for you.
As Dr. Beanlands likes to share: This is Your Heart, Your Institute, Our Future — Together.
“The Data Science Centre will play a crucial role in turning complex datasets into data-driven solutions to improve patient care and outcomes – not only here in Ottawa, but across Canada and all over the world.”
- Dr. Jodi Edwards, Chair of the Centre’s Operational Committee, Director of the Brain and Heart Nexus Research
HEART INSTITUTE ESTABLISHES WORLD’S FIRST CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR RARE CARDIAC CONDITIONS
Rare cardiac conditions may not be as rare as previously thought, posing a growing concern for medical professionals.
“The Canadian Centre for Rare Cardiac Conditions was established to improve patient care for people living with lesser-known heart conditions that all too often are undetected, misdiagnosed and under researched. Our goal is to increase awareness of these conditions and to improve care delivery and outcomes through integration of clinical expertise, groundbreaking research and world- class training opportunities.”
- Dr. Ian Paterson, Cardiologist & Director of the CCRCC.
The new Centre for Valvular Heart Disease (CVHD) helps research and treat the “next epidemic.” If left untreated, heart valve disease can lead to other heart problems, including arrhythmias, stroke, pulmonary hypertension, or heart failure. The new mobile screening program offers early detection, diagnosis, and treatment.
“Heart valve disease is all too common, affecting nearly 25% of patients admitted to hospital for cardiovascular reasons. Heart valve diseases are progressive and often remain silent for years. Too often we are finding patients with valvular heart disease late in the progression of the disease.”
- Dr. David Messika-Zeitoun, Cardiologist & Director, Centre for Valvular Heart Disease
This early career scientist is harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and big data to help “fix” the healthcare system for everyone. Learn more about Dr. Christopher Sun and his ground-breaking research on page 10.
You can read more fulllength stories, online at: ottawaheart.ca/the-beat
“I am honoured to lead the University of Ottawa Heart Institute’s exceptional team as we pursue our exciting mission to provide world-class cardiovascular patient care, research, and education, here in Ottawa and beyond. Teamwork at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute is a core value that guides our daily operations and sets us apart as a leading institution.” - Dr. Rob Beanlands
Dr. Thierry Mesana was appointed chief of cardiac surgery at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute in 2001. In 2014 he became the third president and CEO and has created a positive legacy for generations. This year, we celebrated a monumental “passing of the leadership torch” at the Ottawa Heart Institute. This spring, Dr. Rob Beanland’s succeeded Dr. Mesana as leader of the Institute.
L to R: UOHI president & CEO, Dr. Rob Beanlands, V.P. Tim Zakutney, Dr. Jodi Edwards, outgoing CEO, Dr. Thierry Mesana, & UOHI Board Chair Dalton McGuinty, at launch of Centre in March 2024.
“I congratulate Dr. Thierry Mesana for his outstanding leadership and thank him for his invaluable contribution to the institute’s success and growth over the last decade. It is my honour to extend a very warm welcome to Dr. Rob Beanlands as our incoming president and chief executive officer. He is recognized internationally as a leader in cardiovascular imaging, is a longtime member of the UOHI family, respected by his colleagues, patients, and our community.”
- Dalton McGuinty, chair of the UOHI’s board of directors
During the month of March 2024, there were a series of events to recognize the incredible legacy of Dr. Thierry Mesana, including including his contribution in the creation of the UOHI Data Science Centre bearing his name, presented by the incoming president & CEO, Dr. Rob Beanlands.
Here are just a few of Dr. Mesana’s many accomplishments over his decade-long tenure as president and CEO of the Heart Institute:
• Capital expansion of a five-story critical care tower that now stands adjacent to the Wilbert J. Keon building.
• The prioritization of women’s heart health with the launch of the national Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre (CWHHC).
• Implemented an interdisciplinary heart team model.
• The release of Epic, a fully integrated, electronic medical records management tool.
• Earlier this year, the successful launch of the Canadian Centre for Rare Cardiac Conditions (CCRCC).
• The fight against valvular heart disease: the launch of the Centre for Valvular Heart Disease (CVHD) in 2019.
• Dr. Mesana was honoured by the Dr. T. G. Mesana Endowed Team Chair in Heart Valve Disease as one of the largest chairs dedicated to a cardiovascular research program in Canada.
• The formation of the Data Science Centre, a state-of-the-art digital innovation hub that will leverage cardiovascular data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to advance cardiovascular research and improve patient care.
BY JOEL HASLAM
Couples understand what it means to lean on each other, especially during life’s heartaches.
“I think life hands you different challenges in order to prepare you for other ones,” says Tanya Leier.
Tanya, and her husband, Kenton Leier knows all about challenges, and getting through them together.
One of the couple’s first challenges—Tanya’s sudden hearing loss. Surgery to restore it was an option, but it was not without risks.
“So, I had to decide if I wanted to hear, or possibly lose my taste,” says Tanya.
“Right now, as we’re talking, the air I’m breathing tastes like metal on one side of my mouth,” Tanya points out.
“Also, this same year, I was also diagnosed with cancer. They found a very large tumour in my chest that had been there for a long time,” she says, her voice breaking.
Tanya went through chemotherapy. Kenton and his two daughters were her rocks.
“I was really so thankful to have him and those girls in my life. They really took me out of some dark places,” says a teary Tanya.
And when the cancer was gone, Kenton was again there to welcome Tanya’s news.
“I told him I’m cancer free not even a trace,” she announces with a wide smile.
The couple began making plans for their next chapter, a wedding, unaware that Kenton would soon be leaning on Tanya.
Kitchen colleagues helped to save Kenton’s life.
On a July afternoon, after getting their wedding rings sized at a local jeweller, Tanya dropped Kenton off at the National Arts Centre, where he’s served as Executive Chef for seven years.
“I needed to come back and pick up my keys from my office. She was going home to make dinner for us and I told her I would see her in about an hour,” Kenton recalls.
But once inside, another chef told Kenton there was smoke coming from a nearby dryer where staff launders uniforms and linens. Kenton called the fire department and grabbed the fire extinguisher hoping to put it out himself.
However, while working to extinguish the fire, billows of smoke and gas would take its toll on Kenton.
“And all of a sudden, I just started feeling faint. And that’s the last thing I remember,” he says, grimly.
Tanya, meanwhile, had for hours been unable to reach Kenton.
“I’m texting him, calling him, but nothing.”
“And then I start to get Facebook messages that say Kenton has been in an accident. There was a fire, there was a fire,” says Tanya, the trauma of that day visible on her face.
“It was a hard day. So emotional,” says Nelson Borges, the GM of food and beverage at the NAC and a longtime friend and colleague of Kenton’s.
He still remembers getting the call about the accident.
“To hear the voices on the other side and to hear how panicked they were kind of gave me a sense of how bad it was,” says Nelson.
Kenton had collapsed and gone into cardiac arrest.
“He had died for a period of, I think they said, six minutes,” says Tanya.
But quick-thinking kitchen staff would play a critical role in saving Kenton’s life.
“They were there when I needed them the most,” says Kenton.
They rushed upstairs to guide firefighters through the massive building to Kenton’s location in the kitchen. Another colleague grabbed a defibrillator from security. Firefighters used it to twice shock Kenton.
“If those things didn’t happen right at the right moment I wouldn’t be here,” he says.
None more so than Tanya, who rushed to the hospital to see her fiancée.
There was as a curtain and a foot and it was black from the soot, and I thought surely that’s not Kenton,” she recalls, tears filling her eyes. It was really tough.
Waking in ICU the next day, Kenton didn’t recall the accident. A nurse explained to him what had happened.
“I thought, Oh my God. I can’t believe I’ve been through this,” he says.
Shortly after his release, doctors called Kenton with concerns about the cause of his cardiac arrests. He recalls the conversation.
“We realize they released you, but we wanted to see you before you left, and we didn’t get a chance because we can’t explain why your heart stopped the way it did.”
An angiogram at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute would reveal the reason.
“I had four major blockages in my arteries, one was a hundred per cent. My heart had actually made two veins to reroute the blood to go around the blockages and that’s how I was surviving,” says Kenton, with a smile.
Kenton would need a quadruple bypass surgery. However, smoke inhalation had resulted in two blood clots in his lungs. His heart operation would have to wait until his lungs were clear, so Kenton made a request.
I said I’m getting married in 14 days. Am I still going to be able to have a wedding?,” he says with a laugh.
Doctors implanted a pacemaker-defibrillator and gave Kenton the “green light”.
“They said, we’ll schedule a surgery in three months. Good luck with your wedding.”
Soon after, Kenton and Tanya said, ‘I do’.
“We had the most magical wedding,” says Tanya.
“It was life and death. And when you’re in life and death, life seems so bright. It’s filled with kindness and appreciation and love,” she smiles.
And months later, instead of a honeymoon, Kenton had his successful surgery, along with an exceptional recovery following cardiac rehab at the UOHI.
“I’m incredibly grateful. I tell everybody how lucky we are to have this worldrenowned heart hospital.”
It was a fairytale ending to what began as a tragic tale.
“What almost killed him actually saved him,” says Nelson Borges.
“If that didn’t happen to him, he wouldn’t have found out about the blockages that he had. So, in hindsight, it was a miracle.”
And Kenton and Tanya are forever grateful to the miracle workers at the UOHI who keep loved ones together.
“People at the heart institute are saving lives and they’re reuniting families. We’re so incredibly fortunate to have that available to us.
Award-winning journalist, and storyteller Joel Haslam, formerly of CTV News, shared Heart Institute patient experiences of courage and survival.
Watch Joel recount Kenton’s harrowing story, the last of our Heart Month series.
.
Long touted as a “rising star” among the Ottawa research community, Dr. Katey Rayner is poised to take cardiovascular research to incredible new heights.
Following a rigorous international recruitment process, the Ottawa Heart Institute has named Dr. Katey Rayner as its next chief scientific officer and vice-president of research. Dr. Rayner succeeded Dr. Peter Liu this summer, becoming the first woman ever to lead the research enterprise of the Heart.
“Dr. Rayner is a talented and accomplished scientist whose expertise is sought worldwide. She is a passionate advocate who believes science and research are integral to enable world-class patient care.” said Dr. Rob Beanlands, president and chief executive officer of the UOHI.
Dr. Katey Rayner is globally recognized for her exceptional contributions to understanding the roles of inflammation in driving atherosclerosis and cholesterol metabolism. She is the director of the Vascular Inflammation and Metabolism Laboratory at the UOHI and the assistant dean of research and special projects in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa, where she is also a full professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology.
Learn more about Dr. Rayner and watch her video here:
Dr. Pierre Voisine joined the Ottawa Heart Institute back in September 2023. His first year has been full of new learning and exciting challenges, always with the focus of putting patients first.
“One of the biggest compliments we get is that students from within Canada no longer feel that they need to study abroad as a starting point. Instead, they come to us first, and often stay, because our standards of excellence in cardiac care, surgery, and research are exceptional.”
His predecessor Dr. Marc Ruel shares, “Dr. Voisine is a strong and accomplished surgeon, educator, and researcher, with all the expertise to bring our Division of Cardiac Surgery and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute to incredible new heights.”
Read a recent letter from Dr. Voisine to learn how he prepares for surgery and teaches the next generation of surgeons here:
The University of Ottawa Heart Institute is a globally recognized leader in groundbreaking research. The Data Science Centre, opened earlier this year, is laying the groundwork for the next chapter of research excellence, encouraging international collaboration and attracting new scientific talent.
At the cutting edge of all of this is an artificial intelligence and machine learning pod to support advanced analytics on the Institute’s in-house high-performance computing cluster. The cluster is a collection of several powerful connected computing servers, storage, and applications that share the processing load to enable rapid computational analysis of large volumes of data securely and efficiently.
Among the many brilliant data scientists, Dr. Christopher Sun stands out as an early career researcher who has already garnered numerous awards and honours. His recent achievement of a 1.4-million-dollar grant is a testament to his potential to revolutionize healthcare. His research aims to reduce wait times, predict cardiac arrest, and support health management and prevention research, all through the power of machine learning.
How did you become a data scientist & what brought you to the Institute?
I started in biomedical engineering. I realized I had a broader interest in society and helping people. Another side of healthcare research examines our entire system, like public health, and what makes healthy communities. I recognized that I could positively impact people with policies that redesigned systems. That led to my interest in a field of study called “operations research.” The Ottawa Heart
Institute supports innovative research, and I am happy to be here.
When you start to look at a new problem, what does the process look like?
I like to run experiments and have the mindset of a student and a researcher at the same time. I visit the scheduling clerks and talk to the healthcare team, kind of like a detective. I do computer coding and look at multiple sources of information, finding larger patterns and insights. I connect with leadership and stakeholders who are eager to solve big problems and want to implement solutions. There’s also a lot of collaboration. The Institute is excellent, and Dr. Thierry Mesana and Dr. Rob Beanlands are champions of this work. Dr. Mesana works with me on a committee and is excited by all the possibilities.
What keeps you going when things are tough or over the longer term? What keeps you inspired?
It’s the bigger vision. If we can deliver a larger clinical impact, like reducing wait times or anticipating patients who might need more care or are at greater risk of cardiac arrest, then we are really striving for that bigger picture, which inspires me. I take a philosophical approach to validating healthcare decisions through data. We can generate new insights in a very defensible, appropriate way to benefit real people.
If you can solve or make some headway with difficult logistical, operational, or technically hard healthcare problems, it feels good to “move the needle” on them. Machine learning helps us automate the more repetitive tasks so scientists can focus all their ingenuity, creativity, and energy on the hardest of healthcare’s problems.
Thank you, Ottawa! Together we achieved something truly remarkable, raising over 1.25 million dollars this February. New businesses, community events, sponsors, and partners helped put February is Heart Month on the map. Over one hundred community events supported heart health in the nation’s capital. Homes, businesses, and landmarks across the city were awash in a rosy glow to celebrate the “true gem” of the Heart Institute serving its community since 1976.
Thank you for supporting the priorities of our world-renowned Institute; ground-breaking research, education, and excellence in innovative patient care for you and your families. Your Heart. Your Institute. Our Future—Together.
Would you like to learn more or participate in February is Heart Month in 2025? Please reach out to specialevents@ottawaheart.ca Learn more: februaryisheartmonth.ca
Sometimes, we are asked why we need to fundraise anyway. Donations help us provide the very best in equipment, education, and research beyond our baseline funding.
For instance, every year, special life-saving equipment is purchased through the help of our generous community. New tools and technologies help our doctors, nurses, and healthcare team provide excellent, innovative patient care, meaning fewer wait times, less discomfort, and better recovery outcomes for people like you and your loved ones. Meet our staff and learn about a few examples of special equipment* we need to fundraise for this year:
How will it make care better? Nurses and healthcare teams will be able to deliver medicine with less bruising or pain, especially for very ill patients. This portable machine will be used throughout the Institute.
Costs: (10) are needed at $8,725 each = estimated $87,250
“We need the vein finder to help us care for patients with “tricky” veins. We use intravenous access for medicine, emergency care, and bloodwork. This tool will ensure every patient is more comfortable.”
-
Nancy Mieleszko, Clinical Manager
How will it make care better? Frailer and sicker patients benefit from being moved in this slower, and gentler way. Lifts will be added to floors 2, 3 and 5.
Costs: (6) are needed at $5,500. Total estimated costs including installation: $39,000.
“Installing lifts like these will bring us up to the standards of new buildings, and help us to ensure patient comfort, safety and reduce staff injuries, too.”
- Nancy Mieleszko, Clinical Manager
To learn more about supporting life-saving equipment, please contact: jroback@ottawaheart.ca
*These images are examples of equipment only and may not represent exact models or brands to be purchased. All costs are best estimates at time of printing. Photo credits: Veinviewer, Siemens, UOHI 2023, Wiki commons, Tollos.
How will it make care better? This new technology helps the Respiratory Therapists to see easily and in real time, if the heart and lungs of a patient, and other organs are getting enough oxygen.
Costs: (1) $85,000
How will it make care better? The Intensive Critical Care Unit (ICCU) needs an additional Ultrasound machine to use at a moment’s notice. There is no time to lose in an emergency.
Costs: (1) $80,000
“Our Intensive Cardiac Care Unit provides care for the sickest patients. A new bedside ultrasound machine will allow our team to make diagnoses of life-threatening conditions quicker and more precisely.“
- Dr. Rebecca Mathews, MD FRCPC Cardiology and Critical Care Medicine University of Ottawa Heart Institute
How will it make care better? We need to replace our heavily used CT scanner to improve patient care and wait times.
Costs: 4.9 Million
“Our commitment to cutting-edge research in unwavering and an extra CT scanner would bolster our research capabilities and contribute to advancements in cardiac imaging technologies. This investment will elevate the UOHI’s ability to provide high-quality cardiac imaging services and positively impact patient care.”
- Gerri-Anne Kay, Director, Cardiac Imaging
How will it make care better? A second MRI is needed to help reduce wait times and improve patient care. Our MRI is still running well for another few years, but we will need a replacement now to help reduce wait times and care. Imaging is essential for testing, diagnosis, and new research, too.
Costs: 4.2 Million
“Having a second MRI means we can lessen wait times, do more clinical care, faster, and expand research and collaborations with other groups and scientists.”
- Dr. Ian Paterson, Co-lead of the Cardiac MRI Program and director of the Canadian Centre for Rare Cardiac Conditions.
The next time you visit the Heart Institute, venture down to the S Level, where we hope you take the time to read our tribute to the Auxiliary, nestled at the entrance to the Imaging and MRI clinics.
Since the Institute’s inception in 1976, this volunteer group has consistently welcomed patients, families, and visitors. They were the first faces that families, patients and visitors saw as soon as they passed through the Institute doors, seven days a week, twelve hours daily.
The Auxiliary has devoted more than one million hours of service, assisted over two million visitors, and has raised well over one and a half million dollars for the Heart Institute. These numbers continue to grow with each passing year.
At a recent unveiling, Maureen Monaghan, former Board Chair of the Auxiliary, shared: “We have left our mark in lots of corners of this hospital, and I cannot help but reflect on all the wonderful men and women who dedicated so much of their lives to the Institute.”
“I am delighted that this permanent tribute will remind us of that in the coming years.”
In addition to its past astounding contributions to the Institute, this year, the Auxiliary is giving a special gift of $250,000 from the profits of the Atrium Boutique and from the Norah Greene Fund, named in honour of one of its founders.
This significant gift will help fund new software for MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), support equipment purchases in biomedical engineering, and assist with activities that will retain and engage staff.
We share our sincere gratitude to the Auxiliary its unwavering and inspirational support. We are so proud to have this permanent plaque devoted to this group.
Today, it operates the popular Atrium Boutique and continues to give back.
On May 5th, the Ottawa Pickleball Classic presented by CHG Meridian was the talk of the town. This second annual event raised over $52,000 with over 70 teams participating in a fun day of play that also fell on Cinco de Mayo. The highlights from the day included costumes, camaraderie and an exclusive Celebrity Showdown featuring none other than former Ottawa Senators’ legends Chris Philips and Daniel Alfredsson and CTV’s own Graham Richardson and Patricia Boal.
Thank you to the teams who raised funds to support world-renowned cardiac care, education, and ground-breaking research. We were also proud to offer mobile heart screening and health checks on site to our players and spectators.
Next year, the event be even bigger, and we can’t wait to see you there.
Keep a look out for when registration opens in spring 2025: ottawapickleballclassic.ca
Lastly, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all of our partners for supporting this fundraising event.
THANK YOU TO OUR 2024 PARTNERS
Nearly $900,000 raised to-date
for women’s heart health is celebrating a special milestone. We’re
Get stronger for yourself and for the women you love, simply by moving for 30 minutes a day. Do it solo, or with friends and family in your neighborhood or at any in-person events. Join us for fun and engaging events with supportive and in-person classes and workouts, plus you get access to our online community with amazing support, tips, tools, and resources. We are beyond excited to share this challenge with you once again. Thousands of participants, and their support networks are now healthier, and many have seen lasting changes in their physical and mental health.
for Women’s Heart Health challenge, you receive special
Participant Portal where you can access amazing content, including exclusive workouts and in-person events throughout the month of September from
An opportunity to attend virtual and interactive workshops with leading heart health experts
“I told myself: “I’m fine ... I’m healthy and fit; nothing is wrong with me.” After resisting, I went to the hospital anyway and was sent to a cardiologist at once.”
Gabriele and Lucia D’Angelo emigrated to Ottawa from a small Italian hillside town of Pretoro, elevation 1,800 ft. He first came to Ottawa with his family, and she followed a few years later. Although Ottawa was much smaller in the 1970s, to them it was still a bustling town filled with opportunity for the young couple, who loved food and family.
Lucia, a dedicated cashier at a Dominion grocery store, found her true joy in baking. Their nephew Sandro recalls fond memories of his visits, “my aunt and uncle’s house always felt like home because whenever you walked in there was a fragrance of something homemade and delicious on the stove or in the oven.” Gabriele, a skilled mason, left his mark on Ottawa’s landscape, crafting numerous structures for Daoust Construction with his hands adept at brick, block, and stonework. Today, many local schools and buildings are a testament of his craftsmanship.
An ancient proverb says: “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”
Gabriele and Lucia now cared for future generations they knew they would never get to see when they gave a significant gift in their Will to the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre.
“My uncle wanted to give back to his community by sharing their life savings. It was a natural decision, in line with how they both lived their lives,” shares Sandro.
As a grateful patient of Dr. Wilbert Keon, cofounder of the Institute, Gabriele knew he wanted to ensure the best possible cardiac care for future patients and their families.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of people enter through the Institute’s doors, and for decades to come, the couple’s kindness will continue to positively impact many of these patients and their healthcare teams. A plaque located in the second-floor Clinic also tells the story of Gabriele and Lucia’s profound act of generosity. Their selfless action will persist in supporting innovative patient care, education, and ground-breaking research, saving countless future lives.
Gabriele and Lucia left a legacy for future generations.
To learn more about how you can leave a transformational gift in your will, please email: jroback@ottawaheart.ca, call: 613-875-9605 or visit: WillPowerOttawaHeart.ca
On July 15th, we held our third annual sold out Wilbert Keon Memorial Golf Tournament. We would like to express our gratitude to all those who have supported us through donations, partnerships, and to those golfing. We were delighted to once again be partnering with the prestigious and beautiful Royal Ottawa Golf Club, Ottawa’s premier golf course.
Over $270,000 was raised to support ground-breaking research, world-class care, and education of the next generation of healthcare professionals.
This tournament was inspired by the memory of the much-loved Institute cofounder, Dr. Keon.
Learn more about this prestigious charity event: wilbertkeonmemorialgolftournament.ca
Photos: WKMGT organizer and board member Colin Zappia, Chair James Annis, and board member Leslie Mise. Cheque presentation of over 270K fundraised. Sponsors and family members of Service Master and VehiClean.
This May, #TeamHeart’s 118 runners participated in the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend and raised over $30,000 for important Institute priorities. Staff, patients, alumni, friends, family, and supporters raised funds and their heart rate.
BY JOEL HASLAM
It wasn’t exactly a lucky penny.
But in the end, that tiny piece of copper turned out to be pure gold—bringing two people together for a lifetime.
In the early 1970s, Colette Cloutier, a registered practical nurse at Cornwall General Hospital escorted her niece to radiology to get help with an emergency.
“She had swallowed a penny and needed an X-ray,” said Colette. On shift in radiology that evening, technician Gilles Viau.
“I happened to be working that night, and that’s how we met,” says Gilles.
They did the X-ray, Gilles offering assurances to Colette that her niece would be fine.
“And I said to myself, ‘Oh my. He has a nice smile and is very easy to speak with’,” Colette recalls.
“And that was the start of our romance,” says Colette.
“We kept it a secret while working at the hospital. We went out for three years and got married in 1974.”
“We ended up having two wonderful boys, Luc and Eric, and we’re still celebrating,” says Gilles.
“This year will be our fiftieth year of marriage.”
Colette Viau says she’s more in love with Gilles than the day they met. “I wouldn’t change a thing,” she says.
Well, perhaps one thing.
Namely, her family’s struggle with heart disease.
Gilles, Colette, their son Luc and Gilles’ sister Jannine have all needed life-saving cardiac surgeries.
All say they owe their lives to doctors, nurses and healthcare teams at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.
“They saved my life and the life of my loved ones,” says an emotional Colette. The Viau’s heartaches and heartbreaks began with Gilles in 2003.
The fit and active sports lover had been a life-
Award-winning journalist, and storyteller Joel Haslam, recounts the incredible and oftentimes heartbreaking stories of resilience, hope, and recovery by Institute patients. Watch Joel share the Viau Family story: WATCH WITH HEART.
long athlete.
During a curling match, Gilles began feeling unwell.
“I don’t normally sweat but things were soaking wet when I finished playing the game. I drove myself to the hospital,” Gilles recalls.
“Once I got there, I realized that things were bad. When I was in emergency I thought I was going to die.”
Gilles had suffered a heart attack.
“They told me they needed to send me to the UOHI as soon as possible.”
Under the expert care of UOHI Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Michel Le May, Gilles received seven stents over a two-year period to open multiple blocked arteries in his heart.
Shaken and uncertain about his future after his procedures, Gilles, then 54, retired from his career in insurance and financial services.
Fortunately, Gilles enjoyed many wonderful years of good health, but over time sensed his condition was again deteriorating.
In 2017, he had another heart attack at home.
“They sent me back to the Heart Institute and the next day I had another massive one, right in the Institute.”
“I was scared, thinking now I’m going to die. And the nurse, I wish I could remember her name, she came to me and said ‘listen, this is what we do here.’”
“It calmed me and I said where else can I get this kind of care?,” says Gilles, his voice breaking with emotion.
Gilles was rushed to the operating room the next day for quintuple bypass surgery.
“They always made me feel like things were going to work out. If I had to have heart surgery, I knew I was in the best place,” Gilles says.
With medications, the 75-year-old continues to be an active curler, cyclist and golfer.
“I golfed 100 rounds last summer,” says Gilles with a smile.
The heart attacks, though traumatic for Gilles and his family, would prove to be a vital wakeup call for sons Luc and Eric.
While visiting their dad in hospital, a doctor advised the young men to get “checked out”.
“I remember the doctor saying you can’t beat your genetics, but you can always help your cause,” says Eric.
“It really opened our eyes. We have this condition in our family, and we need to take it seriously because one day we could be in their shoes.”
Tests revealed Eric was healthy, and with his dad’s encouragement, he continues a daily rigorous program of exercise and fitness.
Luc, who had been experiencing “dizzy spells” had different test results.
An angiogram revealed the then 40-year-old had three severe blockages in the arteries of his heart.
He too, required open heart surgery—a triple bypass—at the UOHI.
Doctors urge people to pay close attention to their families’ heart histories.
“The age of 40 is kind of young. The average person we see with a heart attack is a bit over the age of 60. And in some families, like the Viau’s, when they present very early like that, we know that this is an important risk factor,” says Dr. Le May.
“The major problem with this disease is deposition of cholesterol plaques in the coronary arteries which feed the heart, so over time they are at risk of developing heart attack, damage to the heart muscle and having symptoms of angina.”
“If we can prevent that through tests and screening, it’s great,” explains Dr. Le May.
“They were able to catch my blockages before something bad happened. Some people aren’t that lucky,” says a gratitude-filled Luc Viau.
“We are very blessed to live in Ottawa and have a place like the Heart Institute.”
Colette remembers how frightened she was about her son’s diagnosis and surgery—all happening just six months after Gilles’ third heart attack and surgery.
“You realize that life can change in a moment,” says Colette.
And on September 16, 2023, Colette experienced one of those life-changing moments herself.
She had a heart attack. Colette was giving first Communion at a senior’s home in Cornwall when she started perspiring profusely.
Colette was rushed by ambulance to Cornwall General Hospital where she was given “clusterbuster” medication before being transferred to the UOHI.
An angiogram revealed she had four blockages. “I said it can’t be. I watch what I eat. I exercise. It didn’t make sense to me.”
“Line up one hundred people and I’ll tell you, she was the healthiest one there. But she wasn’t. You can be leading a healthy life and it still gets its hands on you,” says Gilles.
Colette would have a successful quadruple bypass heart surgery.
UOHI Cardiac Surgeon, Dr. Fraser Rubens would conduct the life-saving operation. Dr. Rubens had also performed Luc’s surgery—giving two members of the same family, a mother and a son, back to each other.
“Sometimes in the middle of an operation I’ve just got to stop and I look at my resident or first assistant and say, you know, we really are blessed to be able to do this and be able to help people,” says Dr. Rubens.
Colette attended UOHI’s cardiac rehab program in Cornwall twice a week for eight weeks and is celebrating a full recovery. “I am almost back to where I was and I’m so grateful to the Heart Institute. I can resume my activities and enjoy life. I will not waste a day of this gift I’ve been given,” says Colette.
Gilles, who lost his brother, Marcel, to heart disease, is profoundly grateful for that gift, and will be forever thankful to the world class medical centre that gave the Viau family a future together.
“We are a perfect example of a family that everybody who looked at us said ‘you guys are healthy’,” says Gilles.
“Well, I had a heart attack, my wife Colette had a heart attack, my son Luc could have had a heart attack, my sister Jannine, now 80, had two heart attacks and my brother Marcel died from a heart attack.”
“Know your family history. Make sure your family physician is aware, so that he or she can take proper steps to prevent some of the things we’ve had to go through,” says an emotional Viau.
“As I’ve said before, sometimes you don’t get a second chance.”
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