Read this National Post story to find out why Dave, a heart valve disease patient, says you shouldn’t dismiss symptoms like feeling, breathlessness, dizziness or fatigue as regular signs of aging.

As a person with lived experience with mitral valve disease Hugh brings the important patient perspective to the Board of Directors. Hugh is a business strategist, public speaker and author who has advised some of Canada’s most successful leaders and organizations from some of Canada’s largest companies to high-tech start-ups. His expertise in strategic leadership and facilitation will be an asset as we grow and work to improve the health and quality of life of people living with heart valve disease.

The Institute for Health Economics (IHE) has published a report which provides the results of a national roundtable convened in November 2021 to identify the necessary components for a national strategy to address heart valve disease. Heart Valve Disease is on the rise, affecting millions of people worldwide. It can be fatal if untreated but is increasingly treatable with early detection.

Not Another Minute should go by with Canadians not being aware of the risk factors of heart disease, especially considering nine in ten Canadians have at least one risk factor for heart disease and stroke. The stats are sobering, but in this age of information we have opportunities to increase awareness of the risk factors and steps one can take to prevent it.

Although many Canadians have been seeing their GPs virtually since March 2020 and intend to continue with virtual care for non-emergency appointments, three-quarters of respondents aged 25 and older to a national survey released today, believe the virtual visit is not as effective as in-person appointments in discovering new or worsening symptoms.

Health Canada has recently expanded indication and approval for two transcatheter heart valves for use in a TAVI procedure.

Heart Valve Voice Canada is excited to welcome Ellen Ross as Managing Director! This is a new role for HVV Canada that will be the next step in the growth and development of our organization.

Over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted an interesting shift in the delivery of patient care: digital health. The significant increase in demand for virtual and/or remote options to receive care and medical support due to limited in-person interactions has shone the spotlight on the need to explore how to properly and most effectively implement this new option.

At Heart Valve Voice Canada, we’re excited to share with you that the Global Heart Hub and The Health Policy Partnership have launched a report, Heart valve disease: working together to create a better patient journey.

HVV Canada is encouraged by the Government of Ontario’s continued investment in cardiac disease treatments and is now calling on the Province to further its commitment by accepting Ontario Health’s recommendation to publicly fund TAVI in adults with severe Aortic Stenosis who are at low surgical risk.

HVV participated in the Family Medicine Forum (FMF) conference hosted by The College of Family Physicians of Canada from November 4-7, 2020. The Conference saw 3000+ clinicians and other healthcare professionals attend virtual sessions and exhibitor booths for information sharing, education, and networking purposes.

As COVID-19 case numbers continue to cause uncertainty and changes in Canada, it is important that we apply our learned lessons from the country’s initial response to the pandemic.

On World Heart Day, Heart Valve Voice (HVV) Canada is shining a light on the over 148,000 procedures that have been postponed during the pandemic in Ontario alone, and the importance of advocating for your health if you’re experiencing new or worsened symptoms associated with cardiac conditions.

World Heart Day was created by the World Heart Federation and aims to inform people around the globe about cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke.

Survey results published by Global Heart Hub show that older Canadians are as unaware as ever of aortic stenosis, the most common form of heart valve disease. In its most serious form, more than half of patients with severe heart valve disease die within two years of developing symptoms.

Read our guest Post from Wil Woan, Chair of the Heart Valve Disease Patient Council with Global Heart Hub, as he discusses the realities of heart valve disease and the importance of Heart Valve Disease Awareness Week.

Questions answered by Dr. Charles Peniston, Cardiovascular Surgery Specialist, Chair of HVV’s Board of Directors.

We have joined with our global partners for the #JustGo Campaign, reminding heart patients that if your heart says so, #JustGo to the hospital or your doctor.

Heart Valve Voice (HVV) Canada, a non-profit patient advocacy organization for those with heart valve disease, urges provincial governments and health care institutions to prioritize the treatment of heart valve disease patients as elective surgeries are reassessed and begin to resume during COVID-19.

Heart Valve Voice (HVV) Canada, along with its Board of Directors, is pleased to announce that it has joined Global Heart Hub (GHH).