A casual, private Canadian women’s lifestyle group dedicated to the support and information sharing about living with heart health issues. While we focus on the positive, it is a safe place to vent & share about all elements of living with heart issues.

Because we are a lifestyle-based group, personal sharing of heart stories, kids (human and fur), gardens, exercise accomplishments, etc are all welcome. Inspirational quotes, sayings and photos are encouraged too. We focus on Canadian medical advancements, research, information but all relevant will be shared. Having medical heart issues changes our lives, having each other to lean on helps make it doable.

Healthy Hearts Peterborough is designed and run by people with lived experience, to support graduates from Cardiac Rehab to stay motivated and apply the learnings to stay “on track”.

Patients and family members are encouraged to attend. Healthy Hearts Peterborough offers heart-healthy information online and in monthly meetings, securing expert presenters on developing a heart-healthy lifestyle. Completion of a Cardiac Rehab program is a prerequisite for acceptance into this program. Ask your doctor to refer you to Cardiac Rehab, if they haven’t already done that.

Connect with others living with heart disease or stroke. If you have experienced a diagnosis or event, this online community is here to support you.

The Community of Survivors allows you to share stories, resources, tips and questions with others who have gone through similar experiences. This closed, moderated, bilingual space can provide social and emotional support in a safe, inclusive and respectful community.

This is an in-person group that meets approximately 4 times per year (suspended during COVID). Each meeting is a planned social event and incorporates an educational component as well.

Events are designed to provide opportunities for Heart failure patients to meet, interact, support and learn from each other in a safe understanding environment.

Heart to Heart Support Society is dedicated to the support and encouragement of persons who have suffered a heart attack. Learn about living a full life with heart disease. When you join you will meet people at the monthly meetings who have had, if not the same, very similar experiences to yours. The meetings will provide you with up-to-the-minute information that you will be able to use. Speakers cover topics like the benefits of exercise, nutrition, medications, and many other topics.

The group’s aims and objectives are:

• To offer encouragement and support to individuals with heart disease
  To assist their partners, families and friends
  To educate the public about the risks of heart disease
  To visit with patients while in hospital and after discharge to help them and their families cope with lifestyle changes

This group provides a safe, confidential and encouraging environment for those who have experienced a rare cardiac event known as Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD). We will not provide medical advice but will encourage sharing of information that survivors have gathered along the way from their doctors and cardiac specialists.

We offer a community of support and understanding with respect to survivor concerns, fears, and the complex nature of this condition. Although this is a Manitoba-based group in Winnipeg, SCAD survivors from across Canada are welcome.

HeartLife is a leading North American patient-led cardiovascular organization. We provide education, support, resources, and advocacy for people living with cardiovascular disease, their families, and caregivers.

Our community offers a safe and supportive space to connect with others who understand, access trusted education, share experiences, and build confidence in living well with cardiovascular disease. HeartLife also offers webinars, HeartLife Academy courses, print and digital resources, peer support, and women-specific community spaces. Check out www.heartlife.com to learn more

Hearts of Gold gives opportunities for youth ages 13 to 19 to meet, learn, and have fun with other youth who have experienced growing up with heart disease. There are two Hearts of Gold groups, one in the Lower Mainland and one in Victoria.

Events are planned and supervised and help youth who are new to the group connect with new friends and become comfortable to ensure everyone has a great time. Youth must be able to manage without assistance for 3-4 hours to participate.

The Ottawa Heart Support Group (OHSG) is an association of people many of whom have successfully recovered from a heart event and who wish to further improve the health and quality of life for themselves and their families. Our objective is to reduce the fear, anxiety, and emotional stress that often result from having a serious health problem. Our focus is on developing positive attitudes and practices wellness toward heart health care; enjoy life to the fullest; and supporting one another. We pursue these objectives at our informal, monthly meetings.

SCAD BC’s mission is to provide SCAD survivors a warm, supportive, positive, safe space to share experiences, information and stories. Their main goal is to provide peer support and welcome women and men that have been diagnosed with SCAD. Led by peers who understand how isolating and frightening the diagnosis can be, the group shares what they have learned about SCAD, personal experiences, feelings, coping strategies, or firsthand information about SCAD. It consults with the staff at the Vancouver General Hospital, but SCAD BC is independent from any organization and is run entirely by group members.

Some benefits of reaching out to our group may include:

• Feeling less lonely, isolated or judged
• Reducing distress, depression, anxiety or fatigue
• Talking openly and honestly about your feelings
• Gaining a sense of empowerment, control or hope
• Improving understanding of SCAD and your own experience with it

This is a support group for survivors of Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD), an under-diagnosed form of heart attack and sudden death. Its mission is to provide SCAD survivors a warm, supportive, positive, safe space to share experiences and stories. This Facebook group was created to connect one another – to share stories, struggles, and triumphs. It is not monitored by admin closely – but instead is meant for BC SCAD survivors and family to connect with each other.

This group provides a safe, confidential and encouraging environment for those who have experienced a Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD). We do not provide medical advice but encourage sharing of information that survivors have gathered along the way from their doctors and cardiac specialists.

We offer a community of support and understanding with respect to survivor concerns, fears, and the complex nature of this condition.

The Beat Retreat is a fun-filled, four-day weekend for adults living with congenital heart disease (CHD). You’ll have an opportunity to participate in a mix of traditional camp activities – all geared to your physical ability and comfort level.

Equally important, you’ll have an opportunity to make new friends and learn from the experiences of others living with CHD patients. In addition to an engaging educational component (guided by healthcare professionals), you’ll also have an opportunity to chat with healthcare professionals in a relaxed and informal setting. In short, it’s a weekend of fun, friends, firsts, and great food.

Women’s Cardiovascular Health Initiative (WCHI) is Canada’s first gender-tailored Cardiac Rehabilitation Program for those who identify as women. The program was co-created by women with lived experience and opened its doors in 1996 to provide cardiac rehabilitation and primary prevention. Over the years the program has helped many women and gender-diverse persons across the life span lead healthy and active lives. The program offers a comprehensive assessment and lifestyle program for those living with cardiac conditions or those at risk for heart disease. We are fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, actively training health-care professionals of the future. Our program also participates in research and quality improvement, focused on women and heart disease.

Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in women and women face unique risks across every life stage. Cardiac rehabilitation has been shown to improve heart health, quality of life, maintain activity, manage chronic disease, and reduce the risk of future cardiac events. A multidisciplinary health care team provides lifestyle counseling, heart health education, self-management, and support through individual and group sessions. We offer both IN-PERSON and VIRTUAL programs. Our on-site gym facility is located at Women’s College Hospital for those who require medical supervised exercise training.

Unique Features

• small group sessions
• a relaxed atmosphere in a safe and comfortable setting
• individual exercise programs to follow on-site and at home (Virtual Care)
• cardiac risk factor profile on each person’s health
• individualized monitoring equipment
• self-management and group education on heart health topics
• peer support from women with similar health concerns
• a commitment to culturally safe care
• a convenient downtown Toronto location

Referral

A physician/nurse practitioner referral is required. Please contact us if you need our support in facilitating a referral to us.

Our Team

Our team consists of a Nurse Practitioner, Physiotherapists, Kinesiologists, and a Dietitian, with referral to Social Work and Pharmacy as needed.

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