Our Work in Nova Scotia

Volunteers
Patient Programs
Physical Activity
Research
Stroke

Amazing Volunteers

  • The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia is a volunteer-driven organization. Last year our network of 4,500 volunteers actively supported the Foundation’s vision towards generations free of heart disease and stroke.
  • Volunteers are the heart of our organization, working together with staff to make a difference in the fight against heart disease and stroke – and in the lives of Nova Scotians.
  • Volunteers provide support to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia in a number of ways including:
      •  raising funds for life-saving research and health promotion though various events and activities, such as the Heart Month residential campaign. Last year volunteers helped us raise more than $3 million dollars.
      • distributing health promotion information, supporting survivors through in-hospital visitation programs, leading walking clubs, and advocating for heart healthy changes in their communities.
      • connecting Nova Scotians with valuable health resources through our health promotion phone line, and lending their time and knowledge to support ongoing administration.
      • providing leadership to the Foundation through membership on the Board of Directors and committees

Patient Programs

  • The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia offers several patient programs that provide information and emotional support to heart disease and stroke survivors. These programs include: Helping Hearts, Heart to Heart, Heart Pillows, and Let’s Talk About Stroke.
  • The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada sets the guidelines for CPR and emergency cardiovascular care in Canada. We help teach people how to save lives in an emergency.
  • The Heart&Stroke Health Directory offers Nova Scotians information about healthy living resources available in communities across the province including practical resources relating to healthy living, heart disease and stroke management. Users can visit the Health Directory online or they can call the Foundation office and have a trained Health Promotion volunteer assist them with their needs.
  • The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia does not provide financial support to patients. As part of our vision towards generations free of heart disease and stroke, we invest funds raised toward research and prevention activities. However, we do receive calls from patients in need and have trained volunteers ready to provide information and support regarding programs where financial assistance may be available.

Note: For more information on Nova Scotia's provincial drug plan, please visit the Nova Scotia Family Pharmacare web site. The Nova Scotia Family Pharmacare is a provincial drug plan designed to help Nova Scotians with the cost of prescription drugs. The program offers protection against drug costs for families who have no drug coverage; or, if the cost of the prescription drugs becomes a financial burden to them. Specific questions about individual situations can be answered by calling toll-free 1-877-330-0323.

About our programs

  • Helping Heart is a visitation program for heart patients to help provide emotional support and information to assist them in their recovery. 
  • Heart to Heart is a six-week education and support program for cardiac patients and their families. During each session, individuals meet with others who have similar experiences.
  • The Heart Pillows project is a partnership of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia, the Maritime Heart Center, IWK Auxillary and the Aliant Pioneer Volunteers. Every year, the Aliant Pioneers handcraft more than 3,000 heart pillows, which are given to every heart patient who is recovering from surgery in Atlantic Canada.

Physical Activity

  • One of the priorities of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia is physical activity. Physical activity greatly reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.
  • Less than 50% of Nova Scotians are active enough to reap the health benefits of physical activity. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia provides healthy living information and supports policies and programs to help Nova Scotians be healthy and active. 
      • Led by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia, Heart&Stroke WalkaboutTM is focused on putting feet back on the street and walking back in the hearts and minds of Nova Scotians. Supported by the Nova Scotia Department of Health Promotion and Protection and the Ecology Action Centre, Walkabout provides support for walkers including motivational and online-tracking resources and access to pedometers. Take with first step at www.walkaboutns.ca . 
      • Make a Move trains healthcare providers on physical activity counseling. This program is run in partnership with Nova Scotia Department of Health Promotion and Protection and Cancer Care Nova Scotia.
      • Move More: HeartSmart™ Physical Activity Basics introduces physical activity to beginners and to those who haven’t been active for sometime in a fun and supportive setting. This program is run in partnership with Recreation Nova Scotia and Nova Scotia Department of Health Promotion and Protection.
      • The Heart&Stroke Health Directory offers Nova Scotians information about healthy living resources available in communities across the province.
  • The way our physical space – our built environment – is designed influences our ability to make choices that allow Nova Scotians to be physically active. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia is a recognized leader in linking community planning to improved health and has developed and delivered physical activity programs to help Nova Scotians get active each day. 

Funding Excellence in Research

  • The Heart and Stroke Foundation funds research to better understand, treat and prevent heart disease and stroke. We're at work in your community building healthier hearts and lives.
  • The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia funds research locally in Nova Scotia and nationally through the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. This ensures that research projects with the highest standards of excellence are funded in order to make the greatest impact and benefit for Canadians and Nova Scotians.
  • Over the past five years, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia has invested approximately $3.3 million in high-quality, peer-reviewed research locally and across Canada. This includes over $2.28 million to fund research in Nova Scotia.
  • In 2008, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia awarded $355,000 in funding for eight Nova Scotia research teams.The promising research studies cover diverse life-saving topics including the impact of drug therapy in achieving target blood pressure in patients and why women aren’t engaging in exercise during and after cardiac rehabilitation as much as men.
  • In 2007, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada announced a new research fund designed to address gaps in information regarding policy specific findings relevant to the built environment. Nova Scotia researchers, Dr. Renée Lyons, Jill Grant, and their team, received funding through this research fund. Their study was one of only seven successful applications out of 24 submissions.

Finding answers

  • Since 1956, the Foundation has invested over $1 billion in life-saving research into heart disease and stroke in Canada. The Foundation currently funds over 900 researchers and research teams across the country.
  • Research funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation has helped reduce the death rate from heart disease and stroke in Canada by 70 per cent since 1952.
  • Over the years, Foundation-funded research has lead to many discoveries including the development of the cardiac pacemaker, clot-preventing and clot-busting drugs, and the use of an artificial heart for patients awaiting a transplant.

Stroke

  • You can’t control your family history, age, gender or ethnicity. But luckily, you can do something about other factors that could increase your risk of having a stroke.  Learn more about the risk factors.
      • Knowing your blood pressure; eating healthy; maintaining a healthy body weight; being active; managing stress.
  • Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability for Nova Scotians. According to Statistics Canada mortality rates, in 2004 64 per cent (nearly two-thirds) of stroke deaths in Nova Scotia were in women.
  • Approximately 1,500 Nova Scotians experience a stroke each year. Of those who survive, more than half require ongoing assistance with daily activities. 
  • When is comes to a stroke, time is brain. Recognizing the warning signs of stroke can mean the difference between surviving a stroke and the quality of recovery if you do survive. 
  • The five warning signs of stroke are:  weakness, trouble speaking, vision problems, headache and dizziness.  If anyone experiences one or more of these signs suddenly, it is very important to call 911 immediately. 
  • The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia is working to understand how Nova Scotia can best apply the Canadian Best Practices for Stroke Care. Focus groups have led to the creation of the first interdisciplinary professional workshop to help health professionals better assist stroke patients with their swallowing.
  • The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia spearheaded the development of a stroke strategy that focuses on prevention, acute care, rehabilitation, and improved quality of life. The Foundation was an effective advocate for the strategy securing its adoption by the Government of Nova Scotia.