Calgary – Canadian Pacific (CP) and Heart & Stroke are teaming up to save lives and improve people’s health across the country. Through its community investment program, CP Has Heart, CP has invested close to $5 million towards Heart & Stroke research in Canada to date. Now CP is again showing its community leadership by infusing an additional $1.5 million into heart disease research over the next three years.
Every nine minutes, someone in Canada dies from heart conditions, and the need for research funding has never been more urgent. Not only have heart disease and stroke not gone away during the pandemic, but alarmingly, we’ve learned that COVID-19 can damage previously healthy hearts and have serious impacts on the brain.
“The pandemic truly underscored the need for research excellence, to find new ways to beat heart disease and stroke,” says Doug Roth, CEO, Heart & Stroke. “Research has been at the core of everything we do throughout our almost 70-year history. CP has demonstrated a clear recognition of the value of supporting research in promoting health, saving lives and enhancing recovery for the millions of people in our country who are living with or at risk for heart disease. Through their generosity and leadership, we will continue to drive impactful research right here at home.”
Since the 1950s, Heart & Stroke research funding has led to medical advances, including the first successful open-heart surgery, identification of the genetic link to premature heart disease and the discovery that babies can accept the hearts of mismatched donors. Today, Heart & Stroke researchers are continuing on the path to new advances in many areas, such as improving outcomes for adult heart transplant patients, examining how protein can enhance outcomes in frail patients undergoing cardiac surgery, and the role of flaxseed in reducing the risk of heart failure in women who have taken breast cancer medication.
“CP is proud to partner with this incredible organization in their 70th year and CP’s 140th year. On behalf of the nearly 12,000-strong CP family, we know the best minds in cardiology are working to solve heart disease, which is the leading cause of death around the world. We look forward to the breakthroughs right around the corner and for years to come as a result of the research facilitated by Heart & Stroke.” – Keith Creel, CP President & CEO.
“In this environment, continuing to collaborate and develop partnerships is vital to accelerating change and to fund research breakthroughs. We are deeply grateful for CP’s continued dedication to making a real difference in the lives of families across the country,” adds Roth. “It’s a privilege to partner with CP in our shared goal to beat heart disease.”
About CP
Canadian Pacific is a transcontinental railway in Canada and the United States with direct links to major ports on the west and east coasts. CP provides North American customers a competitive rail service with access to key markets in every corner of the globe. CP is growing with its customers, offering a suite of freight transportation services, logistics solutions and supply chain expertise. Visit cpr.ca to see the rail advantages of CP.
About CP Has Heart
At CP we know that a railroad may serve as the arteries of a nation, but at its heart is community. That's why through CP Has Heart, we’re improving the heart health of children and adults across North America. Since its inception, CP Has Heart has helped raise over $23.3 million to heart health initiatives in communities across North America. And along the way, we’re showing heart whenever we can. Find out more on cpr.ca.
About Heart & Stroke
Life. We don’t want you to miss it. That’s why Heart & Stroke leads the fight against heart disease and stroke. We must generate the next medical breakthroughs, so people in Canada don’t miss out on precious moments. Together, we are working to promote health, save lives and enhance recovery through research, health promotion and public policy. heartandstroke.ca.
Recently, Heart & Stroke released a new creative concept, Beat as One, to unite people in Canada as a community against the myriad of issues surrounding heart disease and stroke. Learn more and join us to beat heart disease and stroke.
For more information or interviews, contact:
Heart & Stroke
Anita Pieterse
Communications Advisor, Western Canada
(403) 903-3144
anita.pieterse@heartandstroke.ca
Canadian Pacific
Salem Woodrow
Manager, Media Relations and Community Affairs
403-835-9005
Alert_MediaRelations@cpr.ca