The Heart&Stroke Canvass, one of Canada's oldest fundraisers, is set to come to your door
90,000 Canadians brave the cold in February to raise $10 million to save lives from heart disease and stroke.
TORONTO, Jan. 18, 2017 /CNW/ - In February, volunteer canvassers will be knocking on the doors of Canadians to share life-saving information and raise funds to help protect you and your family from heart disease and stroke. Dr. Roberta Bondar, Canada's first woman astronaut and a neurologist, is encouraging Canadians to generously give to one of Canada's oldest fundraising traditions.
"When you donate to the Heart Month Canvass, you are helping your family, friends and neighbours," says Dr. Bondar, who joined Heart & Stroke last year as Honorary Chair of both Heart and Stroke Months. "The most urgent research challenge we're facing today is a lack of funding. By giving, you are helping fund the next medical breakthrough."
Beginning in 1958 and led by Dr. Wilfred Bigelow in Toronto, Ontario, the person-to-person campaign exceeded its modest goal and went on to raise $320,000 in Ontario. Today, the campaign is a national fundraising tradition, reaching 2 million homes and raising upwards of $10 million. This year, canvassers will be encouraging Canadians to take the Heart&Stroke Risk Assessment— a free, confidential online tool that helps assess risk of heart disease and stroke in just 10 minutes.
"We're very grateful for the support we received from Canadians last year and hope to do it again. More donors means greater impact in preventing disease, saving lives and promoting recovery from heart disease and stroke," added Dr. Bondar.
Join the fight to end heart disease and stroke by donating this Heart Month. For more information about giving to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, please visit heartandstroke.ca/give or call 1-888-473-4636.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation's mission is to prevent disease, save lives and promote recovery. A volunteer-based health charity, we strive to tangibly improve the health of every Canadian family, every day. Healthy lives free of heart disease and stroke. Together we will make it happen. heartandstroke.ca
SOURCE Heart and Stroke Foundation
Media contact: Teresa Roncon: [email protected]
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