February is Heart Month according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Heart Month is a national campaign that mobilizes Canadians to rally together in raising awareness and funds that have an enormous impact on the lives of all Canadians.
Through the generosity and compassion of volunteers, the Heart and Stroke Foundation is able to help Canadians prevent heart disease and stroke, save lives by enabling faster and better emergency medical response and treatment, and enhance support for survivors, families and caregivers.
Heart disease and stroke cut lives short and can have a devastating impact on quality of life. Heart disease and stroke claim a Canadian life every seven minutes.
Heart disease and stroke take the lives of more Canadian women than men, yet too many women still think of it as a “man’s disease.”
Nine out of 10 Canadians have at least one risk factor for heart disease or stroke
Childhood obesity has tripled in the last 30 years, affecting the future health of children.
History
The Heart Month campaign began in 1958 when the foundation, led by Dr. Wilfred Bigelow, committed to raise $600,000 to fund heart research.
In Ontario, volunteers in Hamilton, Kingston, Lakehead, London, Oakville, Oshawa, Peterborough and Port Hope launched a modest door-to-door campaign to raise a provincial goal of $250,000. By the end of the campaign, they had exceeded their goal, raising $320,000.
In 1962, the canvass – named the “Heart Sunday Canvass” – was expanded to include additional cities. Canvassers consisted primarily of Air Cadet Squadrons, Ladies’ Auxiliary and Canadian Legion branches and medical students from the University of Toronto.
Today, the February Heart Month canvass is a national, community-based fundraising campaign. The success of this program depends on its 100,000 volunteers, who make friendly, personal requests to their neighbours and online networks.
Volunteers canvass for donations in February, to support life-saving research and raise awareness of heart disease and stroke within their communities.
Heart Month is the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s key opportunity to reach millions of Canadians and alert them to the risks of heart disease and stroke.
Volunteers are the face and the voice of the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Heart Month is a critical time when we depend on you to share our message.
