President’s Page

As a child, I loved drawing hearts. Aside from stick figures and bubble letters, I wasn’t much of an artist, but I mastered the hearts. Sometimes I would venture outside the lines and even opt for colours other than red. I embraced that every heart is different, beats at its own rhythm, finds its highs and lows, loves deeply, breaks profoundly, but always waits for its next beat. Until it doesn’t.

I learned this as a young adult. I lost my dad, Jeffrey, to a heart attack the day after he turned 57. It was a devastating tragedy just two weeks before my wedding. Without me knowing it then, this life experience would eventually shift my purpose and mission later in life. While it took some time for me to find my way to the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, I am grateful to be here now. After 20 years spent working in broadcast television, I am excited to bring you the real stories from within the walls of the Heart Institute.

Here at the Heart Institute Foundation, we aim to expand the awareness of the world-class procedures and treatments performed on patients from all over the region and beyond. Your donations used are by the Foundation to enhance the Institute’s work with the highest integrity and impact. With the support of our donor community, families receive the gift of time every day at the Heart Institute. We continue to honour and celebrate the vision of its founder Dr Wilbert Keon. We surge ahead under the leadership of Dr Thierry Mesana with innovative discoveries, ground-breaking research, and precision medicine at the forefront for cardiac patients. As a health and wellness advocate, I am motivated knowing that 80% of heart disease is preventable and that we can change the statistics through education and programming. A little inspiration, motivation, and a friendly nudge to engage more in a healthy lifestyle go a long way.

Thank you for your trust in this Foundation as our team strives daily to match the excellence of our colleagues at the Institute.