Women and Heart Disease
Traditionally thought of as “a middle-aged man’s disease,” heart disease is not usually recognized as one of the primary causes of death in women. But the harsh reality is that women are six times more likely to die from heart disease than breast cancer. In fact, heart disease kills more women aged 65 and older than all cancers combined. More than 25,000 Canadian women lose their lives to heart disease each year. That means every 20 minutes, a woman dies: someone’s mother, daughter, aunt, or dear friend.
With Canadian life expectancy continuing to rise, the number of women living with heart disease is also expected to increase, highlighting the importance of educating women about the symptoms of heart disease. Better efforts need to be made before the disease claims more lives.
Help us Dream Big for Women’s Health
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among Canadian women, but it is one of the most preventable, too. That’s why it is so important to support the MUHC Foundation as it raises $3 million for the Women’s Healthy Heart Initiative.
Help more women live long, healthy lives.
The Women’s Healthy Heart Initiative
The MUHC’s Women’s Healthy Heart Initiative (WHHI) is unique in its support of women’s health because it focuses on prevention: on helping women before their first heart attack happens. The goal of the WHHI is to help women understand the factors that put them at risk for heart disease: those within their control, such as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, smoking, poor nutrition, and physical inactivity, and those outside their control, including age, family history, and ethnicity.
The WHHI provides individualized, specialized care and teaches strategies to reduce a woman’s overall level of risk. It has also been instrumental in increasing the awareness and importance of early prevention of heart disease for women across the country.
WHHI Clinic Highlights
- no referral REQUIRED
- 30-minute consultations with an advanced practice cardiac nurse
- patient-centered approach & personalize prevention strategies
- Support from a dietician and personal trainer
- immediate referrals for red flag issues
- "heart buddies" mentor-support for women fighting heart disease
"Misconceptions still persist that cardiovascular disease is not a ‘real problem’ for women. The Women’s Healthy Heart Initiative is working to change this through education and awareness. This is a preventable disease and we can save lives by making women more aware of the risks as well as the symptoms of heart disease.”
-Wendy Wray, Nurse Director, Women’s Healthy Heart Initiative
Donate to the Women's Healthy Heart Initiative
For more information please contact: Nancy Perry Dossous, Development Officer, [email protected]