The Heart & Stroke Foundation of Wellington-Dufferin is launching Heart Month in February.
One of the busiest times of the year for the Foundation, Heart Month brings in donations for much needed research, health education and advocacy initiatives.
The Foundation’s Person-to-Person campaign (which this year, will see over 1,000 volunteers canvassing neighbourhoods throughout Guelph, Wellington, and Dufferin) is the largest and longest-running grassroots fundraising initiative, there are several smaller community-minded activities that take place in February that are truly inspiring.
Every year, heart disease and stroke are responsible for one in three deaths in Canada. To date, initiatives like Heart Month volunteers have helped to fund:
– research that has resulted in the use of a clot-busting drug that reverses the effects of stroke;
– in-utero and neonatal heart research that saves babies’ lives; and
– research that helps Canadians eat healthier and live longer
“We are so grateful for the commitment of our community,” said area coordinator Mary Lou Cairney.
“From the students who take place in Jump Rope for Heart and Hoops for Heart to the people we see year after year at events like Curling for Heart, we are lucky to have a community that makes ‘putting their heart into it’ a priority.”
People wanting to get involved in Heart Month activities in February or throughout the year will have plenty to choose from:
– Jump Rope for Heart and Hoops for Heart – Taking place at schools throughout the region, the Jump Rope and Hoops for Heart fundraisers promote physical activity while raising funds for the Foundation.
– Heart and Stroke Curling for Heart, On Feb, 14. The Orangeville Curling Club is hosting its 12 annual Curl for Heart to raise funds and awareness. Included in the day are two six-end games, a silent auction, raffle draws, thank-you gifts, and a heart healthy lunch. This year also sees the first Curl for Heart event in Guelph. The Guelph Curling Club fundraiser takes place Feb. 28.
– Squash for Heart; also hosting its first Heart and Stroke event is the Athletic Club in Guelph which will be holding a squash tournament running from February 19-21st in support of the Foundation. All skill levels are welcome.
– Billy Taylor Memorial 5 and 15km road race; the Heart and Stroke Foundation in partnership with the Guelph Athletics Society invites people to the fun, fitness-based fundraiser on April 26.
– Heart and Stroke Big Bike; when the bicycle built for 30 rolls through your community it brings with it the support and hope of thousands across the country. The Big Bike is riding through the Wellington Dufferin Region in North Wellington May 4; Orangeville June 6 and 7; Arthur and Centre Wellington on June 10, Guelph June 1, 16, 17, 18 and August 18 and 19.
Businesses throughout the community are also supporting the foundation through company activities like dress-down days, bake sales, selling paper hearts, and more.
The eBiz Professionals is one company that has organized a number of Heart Health events throughout February. In addition to daily dress-down days for donations to participate to selling paper hearts and raffles, its is a supporter of the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Anyone interested in participating in or volunteering at Heart Month events, or creating their own, should contact area manager Sara Felske, at 519-837-4858 or email sfelske@hsf.on.ca. For more information visit www.heartandstroke.ca/heartmonth.
Did you know?
Every day this year, seven Wellington-Dufferin residents will be hospitalized because of heart disease.
Less than 50 years ago it was unimaginable:
– That individuals could survive and thrive after a heart attack
– That the impact of a stroke could be reversed if caught in time
– That we could prevent heart attacks and strokes in people at high risk before they happened
– That heart defects in babies could be repaired and they could live a healthy active life.
At the Heart and Stroke Foundation we dared to imagine … and through life saving research achieve all of this with the generous support from communities. We have come a long way, a 70% decrease in deaths due to heart disease and strokes, but we still have a long way to go.
We still dare to imagine:
– That all strokes and heart disease will be stopped before they happen
– We dare to imagine that with your help we will make heart disease and stroke history.
