WHO: Olympic skating star Joannie Rochette is teaming with the University of Ottawa Heart Institute for iheartmom - a dynamic new initiative to fight heart disease, the # 1 killer of women. WHAT: See the videos at www.iheartmom.ca of Joannie and others who explain why women of all ages need to know about the dangers of heart disease Videos of the Top Ten Things Women Should Know about Heart Disease and more are available on our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/ottawaheart or by visiting the Heart Institute page on Facebook at http://bit.ly/HeartInstituteFacebook Learn more about women and heart disease on the Heart Institute web site at http://www.ottawaheart.ca/heart_disease/women_heart_disease.htm Read the stories from women who are sharing their experience of heart disease in a discussion on the Heart Institute page on Facebook at http://bit.ly/HeartInstituteFacebook Views photos of our launch with Joannie and more on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ottawaheart/ WHY: It is not generally recognized that heart disease is the leading killer of women. Through the Heart Institute Joannie is helping to boost awareness of the disease, increase prevention measures and generate more heart research, and raise funds. In 2005, more than 25,000 Canadian women died from heart disease. That represents 50% of all deaths from heart disease. Risk of the disease in women increases with age and the onset of menopause. Yet, heart attack is not uncommon in women in their 30s.
SOURCE OTTAWA HEART INSTITUTE, UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA
