- Post on June 6, 2024
June 7 RedDAY puts a spotlight on preventative cardiac care at St. Mary’s General Hospital
News Release
Waterloo Region, June 6, 2024 - Communities and businesses are coming together – all decked out in red – on Fri. June 7 for RedDAY, an annual fundraiser in support of St. Mary’s General Hospital.
RedDAY is raising money for St. Mary’s PREVENT Clinic, a new program powered by Manulife Canada that aims to prevent cardiac risks for patients who need it most – those without access to a primary care provider or family doctor.
Manulife is matching all RedDAY donations, dollar for dollar, up to $200,000.
PREVENT Clinic was established out of a growing need among certain patient groups – those without a family doctor who are at high risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Data from the Ontario College of Family Physicians reveals that 2.2 million Ontarians (16 per cent of the province’s population) don’t have access to a family doctor, including an estimated 65,000 in Waterloo-Wellington.
The data also indicates that certain groups, including people from racialized communities, students, newcomers and underhoused members, are least likely to have a family physician.
“Up to 80 per cent of premature cardiac events, including heart attacks and strokes, can be prevented by managing risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes,” says Dr. Heather Warren, Vice-President, Medical Programs & Quality at St. Mary’s.
PREVENT Clinic initiates a clinical assessment and based on the results, offers evidence-based preventative medical therapies, including diabetes management and more. Patients will receive customized exercise prescriptions and guidance on diet modifications and smoking cessation, as needed.
PREVENT Clinic is an extension of the suite of cardiac care services at St. Mary’s Regional Cardiac Care Centre. The clinic operates out of the St. Mary’s Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation Centre at The Boardwalk, Waterloo.
Through RedDAY, St. Mary’s is raising awareness on ways to minimize risk of cardiovascular diseases and highlighting the need to support local healthcare, says Jaime Wilson, Vice-President, Philanthropy, St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation.
“The goal of RedDAY is education, awareness, greater impact and better health.
St. Mary’s is well-positioned to lead this work as the Regional Cardiac Care Centre. Our physicians and staff know the ins and outs of heart health and how to mitigate cardiac risks,” says Wilson.
“Manulife Canada has been a proud supporter of St. Mary’s General Hospital for more than 20 years, and through the PREVENT Clinic, we are now helping Canadians who need it most access potentially life-saving preventative cardiac care so they can improve their overall health outcomes,” says Naveed Irshad, President and CEO, Manulife Canada. “We look forward to RedDAY every year, and I encourage people in the Waterloo Region to join me in wearing red and helping support this important community health clinic.”
For more information or to donate visit redday.ca
High resolution images available for download. Please credit: St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation
St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation
Media contacts:
Alyssa Lai
Director, Communications and Marketing
alai@supportstmarys.ca
519-489-0751
Melissa Couto
Writer and Content Specialist
mcouto@supportstmarys.ca
226-338-3763
About St. Mary's General Hospital Foundation
St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated solely to generating financial support for the life-saving care provided by St. Mary’s General Hospital. Funds donated by the community through St. Mary's General Hospital Foundation go toward vital equipment, construction and resource requirements for St. Mary’s General Hospital which are not covered by or exceed funding provided by the Ontario Ministry of Health.
For more information, visit supportstmarys.ca
About St. Mary's General Hospital
Located in the heart of Kitchener, St. Mary’s is home to the Regional Cardiac Centre, Regional Chest Program and Regional Eye Program. As leaders in our field recognized globally for world-class, innovative healthcare, our vision of “Inspiring Excellence. Healthier Together” is not just about our approach to patient-centred care, it’s also about our commitment to our staff.
For nearly a century, St. Mary’s has provided compassionate care to our community serving over 1.4 residents locally and beyond each year. We are the second-largest acute care hospital in the St. Joseph’s Health System with a team of over 2,000 staff, physicians and volunteers dedicated to ensuring patients receive the highest-quality care possible.
Learn more about Our Mission, Values & History and the future of care at St. Mary’s.
