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Canadian powerbrokers gather to champion women’s heart health

Inaugural Heart Truth Leadership Council meeting underway in nation’s capital


Ottawa, April 29, 2008 – Eighteen of Canada’s most powerful women today join forces with the Heart and Stroke Foundation to form The Heart Truth Leadership Council.

Leaders in their respective fields of healthcare, business, finance, academia, politics, sports, media, research and philanthropy, council members are bringing their formidable talents and resources to The Heart Truth campaign in a bid to save Canadian women’s lives from heart disease and stroke.

“We are honoured by this powerful group of women who are donating their expertise, resources and profile to further the cause of The Heart Truth campaign,” says Bobbe Wood, President and CEO of Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. & Yukon.

The Heart Truth Leadership Council is comprised of eighteen women from across the country, including Dr. Beth Abramson, Dr. Sonia Anand, Ms. Yvonne Atwell,
Mme. Françoise Bertrand, Ms. Virginia Cirocco, Mrs. Lynda Cranston, Hon. Liza Frulla,
Ms. Vicki Gabereau, Ms. Colleen Johnston, Ms. Diane Jones-Konihowski, Ms. Kathryn E. Laurin, Ms. Lisa Meeches, Ms. Jan Mollenhauer, Dr. Veena Rawat, Mrs. Kay Stanley, Dr. Miriam Stewart, Ms. Bev Topping, and Ms. Janet Yale.

The Leadership Council is an integral part of The Heart Truth campaign to raise awareness among women and healthcare practitioners that heart disease and stroke are the leading cause of death among Canadian women.

“Each of us comes to the table with a deep commitment to this issue,” says Dr. Beth Abramson, Director of the Cardiac Prevention and Rehab Centre at St. Michael’s Hospital. “We’re sharing the message that women need to take charge of their heart health.”

The Heart Truth campaign educates women about identifying their risks and warning signs of heart disease and stroke. By making simple lifestyle changes, women can reduce their risk for heart disease and stroke by as much as 80 per cent. The campaign is especially relevant for women 40 to 60 years old, whose risk increases as they age.

The Heart Truth campaign gratefully acknowledges the support of founding sponsor, Becel, and contributing sponsors The Bay, Chatelaine, Ocean Spray, Pfizer, Shoppers Drug Mart and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada without whom the program would not be possible.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation, a volunteer-based health charity, leads in eliminating heart disease and stroke and reducing their impact through the advancement of research and its application, the promotion of healthy living, and advocacy.


Print quality images, broadcast-ready video and media backgrounders are available for download at www.thehearttruth.ca

For media interviews, contact Jane-Diane Fraser at 613-569-4361 ext.273 or jfraser@hsf.ca