Heart and Stroke Foundation, Mount Pearl, NL

The fruit of Foundation-funded research is knowledge that now fuels many of our health promotion activities. Today (in addition to funding research on treatment) we recognize prevention as the key in the fight against heart disease and stroke. We are committed to providing significant funding to support education programs that teach the value of healthy lifestyles and early recognition of heart disease and stroke. These activities place us front and centre in large and small communities across the province. Programs like Heart to Heart and Living with Stroke, support and education programs for heart and stroke patients, and Jump Rope for Heart, an educational program that helps elementary students get active and learn about healthy lifestyles, are placing Saskatchewan people one step closer to the Foundation's dream: a future free from heart disease and stroke. Advocacy at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan takes place on many levels. We work closely with government departments to encourage healthy public policy (for example, the national Trans Fat Task Force, seeking to reduce trans fats in our foods, legislation to protect people from second-hand smoke in public and workplaces, and the development of formal school food policies by Saskatchewan School Boards). Some of our volunteers work to encourage health care professionals to use and study new Foundation research findings and treatment protocols (for example, we are currently working to develop an integrated stroke strategy – a system of care that more effectively prevents stroke and gives stroke patients a far greater chance of survival with less disability). Other Foundation volunteers help encourage young people to be active everyday and provide programs to make it fun for them to do so. We are active in advocating for affordable and accessible facilities where survivors of stroke and heart attack can become active in preventing further episodes/deterioration of their health status.