Do it for Someone You Love

February is Heart Month so I chose to write this post on Valentine's Day aka Hearts Day.

The heart is such an amazing organ - just think about it, the average human heart beats 72 times a minute - yet we take this vital organ for granted.  My family has a history of heart conditions so I've been educated on heart health from an early age. My paternal grandfather and two uncles have all died of heart attacks and just last month my father underwent quadruple bypass surgery at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre in Toronto. I am happy to say that he is recovering very well and that his surgeon, Dr. Robert Cusimano, is very happy with the results. That event last month gives me even more reason to write about Heart Month.

The Heart & Stroke Foundation of BC & Yukon hopes to raise awareness of heart health through various campaigns and promotions during the month of February. The website also provides recipes, fitness tips, and tools for healthy living. Please consider looking through this information - if not for yourself, do it for someone you love. Millions of Canadians are at risk of heart disease. More than 50,000 strokes, 75,000 heart attacks, and 40,000 cardiac arrests occur each year. Sadly, one in three deaths in Canada are due to heart disease and stroke.

The Heart & Stroke Foundation offers various events throughout the province. Check here for a listing.