Heart Stories

 
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Thank you to the individuals below who have shared their incredible, inspiring stories to advocate for women's heart health.

Start the conversation. Because #HerHeartMatters 

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Marion Martell

Ottawa, ON

From Complete Heart Block diagnosis to living with a pacemaker. Marion offers insight on symptoms, diagnosis, and life after pacemaker insertion.

Read Marion's Story

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Charlotte Girard

Otterburn Park, QC

Beginning with an emergency consult in ophthalmology and receiving a diagnosis of cardiac microvascular angina, Charlotte describes how beneficial it was for her to get group support early in her recovery process.

Read Charlotte's Story

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Donna Hart

Milton, ON

Donna describes her journey from end-stage heart failure to receiving a heart transplant and recovery. She has since participated in two Canadian Transplant Games!

Read Donna's Story

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Hope Sarfi

Richmond, BC

Confusing her symptoms for heartburn and ending up undergoing emergency open-heart surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting), Hope knows how important it is to pay attention to symptoms which "just don't feel right".

Read Hope's Story

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Nicole Nickerson

Middle Lahave, NS

Nicole is 38 years old and a mother of two,  with coronary arterial disease with two prior non-STEMI heart attacks. She saw firsthand the inequity in woman’s heart health in all levels of care and prevention. Since finishing cardiac rehab, she strives to live a healthy lifestyle while advocating for women's heart health, especially in rural areas. 

Read Nicole's Story

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Nadia Lappa

Ottawa, ON

Nadia's Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD) journey began in 2016 after she gave birth to her third child. One day, she felt a surge of anxiety and the need to flee, to be away from people, became violently ill and found herself laying on the floor of a public washroom.

Read Nadia's Story

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Najah Adreak, MD, MSc

Vancouver, BC

In 2018, Najah attended a conference for SCAD. She listened to many patients share their heart health stories alongside presentations from experts in women’s heart health. She can remember going home with a heavy heart, feeling "as doctors, we are failing our women patients intentionally". 

Read Dr. Adreak's Story

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Dima Dupéré 

Ottawa, ON

My name is Dima and I’m 56 years old. March 3, 2021 was the day that changed my life. I went to the ER when the sore shoulder blade was accompanied by chest pain, and was told I had suffered a heart attack (an NSTEMI). 

Read Dima's Story

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Jayneel Limbachia, MSc 

London, ON

I am an avid health enthusiast and a strong proponent of preventive medicine. However, as a South Asian, I have found such notions of health to be largely unpopular amongst our community, which is riddled with diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. 

Read Jayneel's Story

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Darlene Potts-Edwards

Smiths Falls, ON

My name is Darlene, I am 61 years old and a survivor of two open-heart surgeries. A faint sound like a seagull cry from my heart set off a small alarm in my gynecologist. In 1986 at the age of 25, during a routine checkup following the birth of my first son, that sound would change my life.

Read Darlene's Story

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Jennifer Florax

Edmonton, AB

I had a newborn and a two-year-old and there is no time for wallowing or finding coping mechanisms. I did what the doctors told me, went to all my appointments, took the pills they gave me, and just moved on. It wasn’t until that summer that I got mad. 

Read Jennifer's Story

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Stevie Goller

Winnipeg, MB

I live life in the moment now, I enjoy the little things, and most importantly I am present with my family. 

Read Stevie's Story

Share your Story 

YOU have a powerful story to share.
Give hope and inspire others. Your story can help other healthcare providers, women and their families and caregivers across Canada to know they are not alone. 

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