Waterloo Region Takes Women’s Health to Heart by Wearing Red on June 7th

WATERLOO, ON, May 3, 2019 /CNW/ - Each year, St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation hosts RedDAY to raise awareness of the serious risk of heart disease in women, rallying people, workplaces and community leaders from across Waterloo Region to mark the day by wearing red and sharing images on social media with the hashtag #RedDayFriday.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among Canadian women. Every year, heart disease claims the lives of roughly 25,000 women – more than the five most prevalent cancers combined. Surprisingly, many women are still unaware of the contributing risk factors, and their ability to control them through everyday lifestyle choices.

A longtime supporter of cardiac care in Waterloo Region, Manulife is once again extending a giving challenge to the community with an offer to match every donation made to RedDAY, up to $200,000. This means donors can have their generosity matched dollar for dollar, doubling the impact they can make to help raise much-needed funds to support services at St. Mary’s Regional Cardiac Care Centre.

“At Manulife, we’re committed to helping people live healthy lives. Since 2013, we have partnered with St. Mary’s to raise awareness of cardiac health among women in the Waterloo Region and help raise important funds for St. Mary’s Regional Cardiac Care Centre,” said Mike Doughty, President and CEO of Manulife Canada.

“This community recognizes the need to invest in the delivery of healthcare, and we are thrilled that Manulife is rallying their support with this inspiring RedDAY giving challenge. What an amazing endorsement of the excellent care provided by the physicians and staff of St. Mary’s,” says Susan Dusick, President, St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation.

Fueled by an ever-expanding and aging population, the number of people in Waterloo Region living with heart disease is increasing. This increased patient volume is placing significant demands on the facilities of St. Mary’s Cardiac Care Centre. St. Mary’s currently operates with two catherization suites. Funds raised through RedDAY and the Manulife match will be directed to the establishment of a third catheterization suite at St. Mary’s.

“The volume of procedures performed through catheterization at St. Mary’s has grown over the last number of years and will reach well beyond 6,500 this year. This is comparable to what other centres accomplish with three or four suites. Our resources are stretched beyond capacity. With procedures projected to grow substantially in the next five years, there is a significant risk to patient care unless a third catheterization suite is added.” states Dr. Brian McNamara, Chief of Cardiovascular Services at St. Mary’s Cardiac Care Centre.

Catheterization facilities form the essential foundation of a cardiovascular program. During cardiac catheterization, a long thin tube called a catheter is inserted in an artery and threaded through blood vessels to the heart. This procedure is fundamental in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular conditions.

For more information on how to register, participate or donate to RedDAY, visit www.redday.ca.

About St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation
St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to enhancing patient care at St. Mary’s General Hospital through the funding of vital equipment and programs. In addition to larger capital projects, St. Mary’s General Hospital relies upon the Foundation to provide the necessary funds each year to cover costs related to on-going replacement and enhancement of standard equipment which is not covered by Government funding. Over the past 10 years the Foundation has transferred over $50 million to the hospital, enabling innovative patient-centered care, delivered with compassion and respect.

About Manulife
Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. We operate primarily as John Hancock in the United States and Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance, as well as wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions. At the end of 2018, we had more than 34,000 employees, over 82,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving almost 28 million customers. As of March 31, 2019, we had over $1.1 trillion (US$849 billion) in assets under management and administration, and in the previous 12 months we made $29.4 billion in payments to our customers. Our principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States are where we have served customers for more than 100 years. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we trade as ‘MFC’ on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under ‘945' in Hong Kong.

SOURCE St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation