Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and Provincial Government donate total of $3M for Aboriginal Research Chair

PRESS RELEASES

Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and Provincial Government donate total of $3M for Aboriginal Research Chair at Northern Ontario School of Medicine

The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario (HSFO) donated $1.5 million today to the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) for the creation of a Research Chair in Aboriginal and Rural Health. This HSFO funding was matched by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities with an additional $1.5 million.There is a growing need for a better understanding of health conditions in Aboriginal and rural communities. According to Statistics Canada, 2006, the Aboriginal population in Canada has grown by 45 percent during the past decade. There are now more than 1 million Aboriginal Canadians, including Métis, Inuit and First Nations peoples. This represents a significant percent of the population with specific health issues that need to be addressed.

The Aboriginal Chair position, the first-ever in Canada, represents a meeting place where the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Aboriginal and rural communities can come together to improve health.

“The Heart and Stroke Foundation is committed to improving the heart health of all Ontarians,” says Rocco Rossi, CEO, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. “By focusing on cardiovascular issues, we will work with Aboriginal and rural communities to better prevent and treat these conditions.”

“We are thrilled to be receiving funding from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and the Ontario Government,” says Dr. Greg Ross, NOSM’s Associate Dean of Research. “This will allow the Northern Ontario School of Medicine to increase the capacity for research that focuses on health issues relevant to rural and Aboriginal communities.”

Funding for this Aboriginal Chair represents the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s commitment to provide opportunities for NOSM students to increase their understanding of cultural issues affecting heart health. It is separate from the HSFO funding that supports NOSM medical students involved in summer research projects. Since 2006, the Heart and Stroke Foundation has supported 19 NOSM medical students with an investment, to date, of $114,000.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation, a volunteer-based health charity, leads in eliminating heart disease and stroke and reducing their impact through the advancement of research and its application, the promotion of healthy living, and advocacy.

For further information, please contact:

Colleen Kleven
Northern Ontario Publicist
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario
705-969-3299
colleenkleven@vianet.ca