The Liberal Senate Forum

Statements & Hansard

Heart Truth

More on...

Share

Feedback

Read the comments left on this page or add yours.
Statement made on 04 March 2009 by Senator Vivienne Poy

Hon. Vivienne Poy:

Honourable senators, February was Heart Month in Canada. This February, the Heart and Stroke Foundation focused on outreach to women through the Heart Truth campaign.

The campaign's aim is to reach women with the prevention message because heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death for women. That fact is surprising, is it not? The media has tended to portray heart disease as a "middle-aged man's disease." As women, we have tended to ignore our own risk factors. Only one in eight women is aware that heart disease and stroke are our biggest health concerns.

On February 24, I had the honour of hosting a press conference in Toronto for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada to reach out to Canadian women of Chinese heritage with the Heart Truth message.

According to the organizers, the press conference was "an overwhelming success." All the major national Chinese-Canadian media were present and a Chinese language public service announcement will continue to run on national Chinese-Canadian media throughout 2009.

Heart Truth's message is that much of the risk of heart disease and stroke for women is preventable and is caused by our lifestyles. Many of us work outside our homes and we are responsible for our children, our households and sometimes our elderly parents. It is difficult to find enough time to exercise and eat well, even though we know we should. If we are feeling discomfort and fatigue, as busy women, we may dismiss the symptoms and fail to seek medical advice.

The Canadian population is aging and more women are suffering from heart disease. Unfortunately, women seniors are not always taken seriously by the medical profession. Even if women are diagnosed, we are often less likely to receive prompt and intensive medical treatment.

Honourable senators, we need to take charge of our own health and warn the women in our lives to do the same. The foundation has provided all women senators with the Heart Truth message and a red dress pin, the symbol of Heart Truth, to remind honourable senators to take care of themselves and their families throughout the year.

Recent Statements from Liberal Senators

Economic Benefits of Recreational Atlantic Salmon Fishing—Inquiry

17 May, 2012 | By Senator Wilfred Moore | Honourable senators, I am pleased to join in the debate of the inquiry commenced by the Honourable Michael A. Meighen regarding the economic benefits of recreational Atlantic salmon fishing in Canada.

Second reading of Bill S-9, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (Nuclear Terrorism Act)

17 May, 2012 | By Senator Roméo Dallaire | Honourable senators, yes indeed, you are going to have to put up with me for another 45 minutes, but I will try to do as my friends in the U.S. Marines taught me. I will try to power talk my way through this and curtail my time.

RADARSAT Satellite and Communication Projects

17 May, 2012 | By Senator Roméo Dallaire | Has the Prime Minister developed a policy whereby he committed to monitor the Arctic, but now that it is time to allocate funding, he has changed his basic philosophy regarding the desire to move forward on the issue of Arctic sovereignty?

Arctic Research

17 May, 2012 | By Senator Claudette Tardif | Why would the government invest in infrastructure in the Arctic without a plan for keeping these important facilities operational?

National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy

17 May, 2012 | By Senator Elizabeth Hubley | Is this just another example of the government's preference for ideological rather than evidence-based decision making?
« 1 2 3 4 5  ... » 
Recycle

You can retrieve this page at:
http://www.liberalsenate.ca/In-The-Senate/Statement/3280_Heart-Truth.
Please recycle this document.