E3 Webinar Series: Engage. Educate. Empower.

     May 6
     12 AM PT | 1 AM MT | 2 AM CT | 3 PM ET | 4 PM AT

We are proud to continue E3: Engage, Educate, Empower, HeartLife’s webinar series designed to connect lived experience with trusted clinical expertise, all centered on the topics that matter most to our community.

This session focuses on cardiac amyloidosis, offering both practical understanding and deeper clinical insight. Together, we will explore how this condition is diagnosed, how it affects the heart, current treatment options, and emerging research that is shaping strategies for managing the condition.

Dan Lier is a former national basketball champion, mindset strategist, and speaker who brings both professional insight and lived experience to this conversation. Diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis in 2017, Dan will share his journey from diagnosis through day-to-day management, including what he has learned, how he approaches living with the condition, and the questions he continues to explore along the way.

Dr. Margot Davis, cardiologist and Director of the UBC Cardiac Amyloidosis Clinic, will provide a clinical deep dive into cardiac amyloidosis, including how it affects the heart, current management strategies, and what ongoing research is teaching us about care and outcomes.

The session will conclude with a moderated Q&A, giving participants the opportunity to ask questions and engage directly with the speakers.

Whether you are living with cardiovascular conditions, supporting someone who is, or looking to better understand your own heart health, this webinar offers education, insight, and empowerment you can take forward with confidence.

E3 Webinar Series: Engage. Educate. Empower.

     April 23
     9 AM PT | 10 AM MT | 11 AM CT | 12 PM ET | 1 PM AT

We are proud to continue E3: Engage, Educate, Empower, HeartLife’s webinar series designed to connect lived experience with trusted expertise, centered on the topics that matter most to our community.

While much of heart health focuses on the physical, the emotional and psychological impacts of living with cardiovascular conditions are equally important. Peer support can play a powerful role in helping people feel understood, reduce isolation, and build coping strategies through connection with others who share similar experiences.

Gayl McKinley will share her personal heart journey and what inspired her to become a peer support group leader, reflecting on the impact peer support has had on women living with heart conditions.

Dr. Kerri-Anne Mullen, Director of the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre and Scientist at the Ottawa Heart Institute Research Corporation, will explore the role of peer support programs and how they can benefit people living with cardiovascular conditions.

The session will conclude with a moderated Q&A with both speakers.

Webinaire en français de la Semaine de sensibilisation à l’insuffisance cardiaque 2026, présenté par Cœur + AVC et la Fondation HeartLife

     7 mai 2026

     9 h (HP) – 10 h (HR) – 11 h (HC) – 12 h (HE) – 13 h (HA)

L’insuffisance cardiaque est un problème de santé qui prend de l’ampleur au pays. On compte en effet plus de 800 000 personnes vivant avec cette affection et plus de 130 000 nouveaux cas sont diagnostiqués chaque année. Troisième principale cause d’hospitalisation au pays, elle impose un lourd fardeau aux personnes qui en sont atteintes, à leur famille, à leurs proches aidantes et aidants et au système de santé.

Ce webinaire s’inscrit dans le cadre de la Semaine de sensibilisation à l’insuffisance cardiaque, du 3 au 9 mai 2026. Il fournira les notions essentielles qui permettront aux prestataires de soins de santé, aux personnes ayant une expérience vécue et aux proches aidantes et aidants de reconnaître les signes et les symptômes d’une insuffisance cardiaque, d’en connaître les principaux facteurs de risque et d’en comprendre les interactions avec d’autres maladies chroniques.

Les participantes et participants recevront également une synthèse pratique sur le rôle du traitement médical conforme aux lignes directrices, notamment en quoi des pharmacothérapies fondées sur des données probantes améliorent le taux de survie et la qualité de vie tout en réduisant les hospitalisations. Enfin, la présentation mettra en évidence les efforts continus déployés à l’échelle du pays pour assurer la continuité des soins de l’insuffisance cardiaque et sensibiliser la population aux personnes atteintes de cette maladie de plus en plus courante.

Objectifs d’apprentissage

1. Sensibilisation du public aux signes et aux symptômes de l’insuffisance cardiaque : outiller les professionnels de la santé, les personnes ayant une expérience vécue et les aidantes et aidants pour leur permettre de reconnaître les signes et symptômes précurseurs et graves de l’insuffisance cardiaque. Cet objectif vise à renforcer la confiance afin de reconnaître rapidement les changements et de prendre les mesures appropriées pour prévenir les hospitalisations. 
2. Prise en charge des facteurs de risque de l’insuffisance cardiaque : permettre aux participantes et participants de bien connaître les principaux facteurs de risque modifiables et non modifiables liés à l’insuffisance cardiaque, et de comprendre comment une prise en charge et un suivi proactifs contribuent à réduire le risque d’insuffisance cardiaque et à améliorer les résultats.
3. Comprendre le lien entre l’insuffisance cardiaque et d’autres maladies : aider les participantes et participants à reconnaître comment l’insuffisance cardiaque est connexe à d’autres maladies chroniques, comme le diabète, l’hypertension et les maladies rénales. Cet objectif met l’accent sur la façon dont ces problèmes interagissent, comment ils influencent les symptômes et pourquoi il est essentiel de fournir des soins intégrés en équipe aux personnes atteintes de nombreux problèmes de santé. 
4. Comprendre le rôle du traitement médical conforme aux lignes directrices : sensibiliser à l’importance du traitement médical conforme aux lignes directrices dans les soins de l’insuffisance cardiaque. Les participantes et participants comprendront comment un traitement médical conforme aux lignes directrices contribue à améliorer le taux de survie et la qualité de vie, et en quoi les nouvelles lignes directrices sur l’insuffisance cardiaque aident les cliniciennes et cliniciens ainsi que les personnes ayant une expérience vécue à prendre des décisions thérapeutiques éclairées et fondées sur des données probantes.

Public cible

Ce webinaire s’adresse aux professionnels de la santé travaillant dans l’ensemble du continuum de soins, aux personnes ayant une expérience vécue de l’insuffisance cardiaque, aux membres de la famille ainsi qu’aux proches aidantes et aidants de ces personnes. Il pourrait également être instructif et utile à la population générale et aux responsables des systèmes de santé. 

Il s’agit d’une invitation ouverte à une activité gratuite. 

Langue

Ce webinaire sera présenté en français et en anglais, à des dates différentes. Pour le webinaire en anglais, veuillez consulter ce post ici.

Vous ne pouvez pas assister au webinaire en direct ?

Un enregistrement de ce webinaire, ainsi que de tous nos webinaires précédents, est disponible sur notre page YouTube et sur le site Web des Pratiques optimales de l'AVC au Canada, 1 à 2 semaines après le webinaire en direct.

Pour toute question, veuillez envoyer un courriel à KTHP@heartandstroke.ca ou à Jenny@heartlife.com.

Heart Failure Awareness Week English Webinar 2026, presented by Heart & Stroke and HeartLife Foundation

     May 5, 2026
     9 AM PT – 10 AM MT – 11 AM CT – 12 PM ET – 1 PM AT

Heart failure is a growing health challenge in Canada, with over 800,000 people are currently living with the condition, and more than 130,000 new diagnoses each year. Heart failure places a significant burden on individuals, families, caregivers, and the healthcare system, and is the third leading cause of hospitalization in the country.

Aligned with Heart Failure Awareness Week (May 3rd–9th, 2026), this webinar—Bridging Heart Failure Care, will provide healthcare providers, people with lived experience, and caregivers with essential knowledge to recognize heart failure signs and symptoms, understand key risk factors, and appreciate how heart failure interacts with other conditions.

Participants will also receive a practical overview of the role of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT), including how evidence-based medications improve survival, reduce hospitalizations, and enhance quality of life. The presentation will highlight ongoing efforts across Canada to bridge unified heart failure care and bring awareness for those living with this increasingly common condition.

Learning Objectives

1. Enhance Awareness of Heart Failure Signs and Symptoms: Equip healthcare professionals, people with lived experience (PWLE), and caregivers with the ability to recognize early and advanced signs and symptoms of heart failure. This objective focuses on building confidence to identify changes promptly and take appropriate action to prevent hospitalizations.
2. Address Risk Factors of Heart Failure: Provide participants with a clear understanding of the major modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for heart failure and how proactive management and monitoring can reduce heart failure risk and improve outcomes.
3. Understand the Connection Between Heart Failure and Other Conditions: Help participants recognize how heart failure is interconnected with other chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and kidney disease. This objective emphasizes how these conditions interact, how they influence symptoms, and why integrated, team-based care is essential for people living with multiple health challenges.
4. Understand the Role of Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy (GDMT): Increase awareness of the importance of guideline-directed medical therapy in heart failure care. Participants will understand how GDMT supports improved survival and quality of life, and how new heart failure guidelines assist both clinicians and people with lived experience in making informed, evidence-based treatment decisions.

Intended Audience

Health professionals across the continuum of care, people with lived experience of heart disease, VCI, stroke, or other vascular conditions such as heart failure, atrial fibrillation or hypertension, family members and care supporters of people with lived experience. Heart & Stroke staff, members of the public, and system leaders may also find this webinar informative and helpful. All are welcome to join.

This free event is an open invitation and may be forwarded to interested parties.

Language

This webinar topic will be presented in both English and French, on separate dates. If you would like to attend the webinar in French, please see this post here.

Can't make it to the live webinar?

A recording of this webinar and all our previous webinars are available on our YouTube webinars page and the Canadian Stroke Best Practices website, 1-2 weeks after the live webinar.

For any questions, please e-mail KTHP@heartandstroke.ca or Jenny@heartlife.com.

E3 Webinar Series: Engage. Educate. Empower.

     March 11
     9 AM PT | 10 AM MT | 11 AM CT | 12 PM ET | 1 PM AT

We are proud to continue E3: Engage, Educate, Empower, HeartLife’s webinar series designed to connect lived experience with trusted clinical expertise, all centered on the topics that matter most to our community.

This session explores the growing role of artificial intelligence in how we research, understand, and manage our heart health. Many people are turning to AI tools for quick, accessible health information. While these tools can be powerful learning supports, it is important to understand how to use them safely, thoughtfully, and alongside trusted care.

Nadine Ramdial will share her heart story, reflecting on how she has used technology to track and manage symptoms, as well as her curiosity and hesitation around using AI tools available online.

Dr. Bahareh Taji, an AI Engineer at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, will offer insight into how AI tools are developed and how they function within healthcare and research settings. Drawing on her background in biomedical engineering and her leadership of AI initiatives at the institute, Dr. Taji will discuss the responsible use of AI in cardiac research and provide guidance on how patients can safely use AI tools to support their heart health.

The session will conclude with a moderated Q&A, giving participants the opportunity to ask questions and engage directly with both perspectives.

Whether you are living with cardiovascular conditions, supporting someone who is, or looking to better understand how emerging technologies fit into heart care, this webinar offers education, insight, and empowerment you can take forward with confidence.

We’re proud to share the second episode of our E3 webinar series, featuring award-winning artist Jordan Danger and world-renowned health psychologist Dr. Samuel Sears!

In this episode, Jordan shares her powerful journey of living with an undiagnosed arrhythmia, the struggle to be heard by medical professionals, and how she eventually found healing through both surgery and art. Dr. Sears joins the conversation to bridge the gap between cardiology and psychology, explaining why “there is no such thing as cardiology without psychology.”

Some Important Takeaways:

• Cardiology and Psychology are Intertwined: Successful management of heart disease requires understanding that what affects the heart inevitably affects the mind.
• The Danger of Disengagement: Withdrawing from daily life can undermine recovery; physical and mental health are best improved by safely re-engaging with meaningful activities.
• Building a Support Lifeline: Recovery is a team sport that relies on identifying reliable advocates within your personal circle and your medical team.
• Gratitude and Awe: Actively seeking moments of awe and practicing gratitude are scientifically backed tools to help balance the psychological burden of chronic illness.
• Empowered Self-Advocacy: Navigating the healthcare system requires persistence; patients should seek providers who offer emotional validation alongside technical care.

E3 Webinar Series: Engage. Educate. Empower.

     February 3
     12:00 PM PT | 3:00 PM ET

We are proud to continue E3: Engage, Educate, Empower, HeartLife’s webinar series designed to connect lived experience with trusted clinical expertise, all centered on the topics that matter most to our community.

This session focuses on cholesterol and heart health, offering both practical understanding and deeper clinical insight. Together, we will explore how lipids, including cholesterol and triglycerides, influence cardiovascular risk, and why proactive cholesterol management plays a critical role in preventing heart disease.

Debra Quercetti will share her lived experience navigating cholesterol management as part of her heart health journey, highlighting the real-world challenges, questions, and learnings along the way.

Dr. Rob Hegele will provide a clinical deep dive into how cholesterol works in the body. He will discuss key lipid markers, including lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB), and explain why understanding these markers is essential for assessing cardiovascular risk and guiding prevention strategies.

The session will conclude with a moderated Q&A, giving participants the opportunity to ask questions and engage directly with both perspectives.

Whether you are living with cardiovascular conditions, supporting someone who is, or looking to better understand your own heart health, this webinar offers education, insight, and empowerment you can take forward with confidence.

We're thrilled to share our first E3 webinar episode featuring Dr. Katey Rayner and our patient partner Francine!

In this webinar you will delve into the deep and intricate health history of Francine who bravely shares her journey and experience with inflammation. The dialogue between her and Dr. Rayner offers enrichment to our understanding of inflammation in the context of heart conditions.

Some Important Takeaways:

• Inflammation is a fundamental but complex contributor to heart disease, intertwined with cholesterol and immune system activity.
• Managing heart disease requires a multifaceted approach: lifestyle, medication, and sometimes procedural interventions.
• Residual inflammatory risk highlights the need to address inflammation beyond traditional cholesterol control.
• Ongoing research aims to better understand molecular mechanisms and develop targeted therapies.
• Patients should avoid self-blame and utilize all available tools, balancing lifestyle changes with medical advice.
• The interplay of genetics and environment means personalized care is essential.

Date: October 3rd, 2025 – 9 AM PT | 10 AM CT | 11 AM MT | 12 PM ET | 1 PM AT.

We’re excited to launch E3: Engage, Educate, Empower, HeartLife’s new quarterly webinar series! Each session will take a deep dive into a key topic that matters to our community.

Our first E3 webinar explores inflammation: what it is, how it affects the heart, what we are learning about how it works, and what this means to you.

Francine Poisson, a patient with lived and living experience, will share her story and her reasons for working to reduce inflammation-causing lifestyle factors. Dr. Katey Rayner will explain inflammation, when it becomes a problem, and what her laboratory is uncovering about the relationship between inflammation and heart disease.

A moderated Q&A will follow the presentations.