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Map of Ontario

Research and innovation Centres
We're funding critical, life-giving research into heart disease and stroke. Your generous support helps fund 600 globally-recognized researchers across Ontario working on crucial cardiovascular and neurological research in local hospitals, universities and research institutions.

Community offices
The Foundation has 29 offices across Ontario serving the health information needs of residents and their healthcare providers, including educational resources for ethnically diverse communities, women, children and youth.

Regional and District Stroke Centres
The Foundation, in partnership with the government, created the Ontario Stroke System, which has enhanced stroke care for all Ontarians. These centres add quality years of life for Canadians affected by stroke by improving diagnosis, care and recovery.

High Blood Pressure Programs
The Foundation's High Blood Pressure Program provides 11 primary care sites with specialized toolkits to improve the detection, management and control of high blood pressure. In addition, 14 participating sites in First Nations communities address the increased risk to aboriginal persons.

HEART&STROKE RESTART A HEART, A LIFE™ program
The Heart&Stroke Restart a Heart, a Life™ Program and the Chase McEachern Tribute Fund are committed to making life-saving Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) as commonplace as fire extinguishers in public spaces. Since 2006, the Foundation has placed almost 3,000 AED units, 30 lives have been saved and nearly 22,000 people have been trained in CPR & AED skills.

SPARK ADVOCACY GRANTS
Together we're working to protect the heart-health of our future generations. Your generosity funds grants that help communities across Ontario create more opportunities for children to be active and eat healthy. 133 grants totaling over $1.4 million have been awarded.

Kaylen Leonienco

When Kaylen was one month old, doctors discovered a narrow heart valve. An emergency balloon catheter helped, but it wasn't a cure. She needed a second surgery at age 18.

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Gary Ouelette

Gary was thrilled when he won the million dollar prize in the Heart&Stroke Lottery. He knew he was supporting a good cause, but never thought he'd need the Foundation's help.

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Janet Parr

Janet knows that heart disease can strike without warning. At the age of just 42, she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Since then she's had four major surgeries.

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Robert Martin

Robert Martin used to play golf and hockey four times a week. He received a heart transplant in 2009 and had to slow down his active lifestyle - but went into cardiac arrest two weeks later.

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KAYLEN LEONIENCOKAYLEN LEONIENCO

When Kaylen was one month old, doctors discovered she had a narrow heart valve. She was turning blue and not breathing well. An emergency balloon catheterization helped to open her heart so more blood could get through, but it wasn't a cure. She needed a second surgery at age 18 to give her a larger valve. Now, Kaylen is 20 and she volunteers for the Foundation because she says she appreciates everything we do for people like her. "The Foundation needs our help to continue their work in education, awareness and research which give people like me longer, fuller lives."

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GARY OUELLETTEGARY OUELLETTE

Gary was thrilled when he won the million dollar prize in the Heart&Stroke Lottery. He knew he was supporting a good cause, but never predicted he'd be one of the people the Foundation's work would help. In 2010, Gary had a mini-stroke. Six months later, he was rushed to surgery for a triple bypass. "You don't think of those things until they actually happen," he says. "If you're going to buy a lottery ticket, this is the one to support. The Foundation's work gave me more time to live my life and I'm just one of many people they've helped."

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JANET PARRJANET PARR

Janet knows that heart disease can strike without warning. At the age of 42, she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. She's had four major surgeries. Now, she has what is essentially an artificial heart. "It circulates my blood, which my heart is too weak to do on its own. It's a bridge until I can have a heart transplant," she says. "I feel it's important to support the Foundation because the research advances they fund could be vital to helping me and people like me get more years of life, of joy and of time with people we love."

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ROBERT MARTINROBERT MARTIN

Robert Martin used to play golf and hockey four times a week, but in 1998 he felt unusually tired. He found out he had dilated cardiomyopathy, which reduces the heart's ability to pump blood. He had to slow down his active life. He received a heart transplant in 2009, but went into cardiac arrest two weeks later. Now, he can't do as much activity, but he says cardiac rehab helped him get back to walking a mile and a half every day. "I'm so thankful to the Foundation for giving me a second chance at a full life."

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Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario