The Manitoba government is continuing its partnership with Heart and Stroke Manitoba with $150,000 in funding to support public education on stroke awareness through the FAST Signs of Stroke campaign and women’s heart health initiatives, as well as an additional $25,000 to support the new Women’s Heart Care Clinic at St. Boniface Hospital, Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced.
“Recognizing the signs of a heart attack and stroke quickly can make a life-changing difference for patients and families,” said Asagwara. “Our government understands the importance of investing in women’s health. We know heart disease can look different in women and too often those symptoms are missed or dismissed. This partnership helps improve awareness, supports earlier treatment and strengthens women-focused heart care in Manitoba.”
The FAST Signs of Stroke campaign helps Manitobans recognize the warning signs of stroke and encourages people to seek emergency medical care quickly. FAST stands for face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty and time to call 911. Early treatment can help reduce the long-term impacts of stroke and save lives.
The Women’s Heart Care Clinic at St. Boniface Hospital provides specialized cardiovascular assessment, care, education and research focused on women’s heart health. Women’s cardiovascular disease can present differently than in men and is associated with different symptoms, disease progression and outcomes.
The announcement was made during the Heart and Stroke Foundation MLA engagement lunch, which brought together members of the legislative assembly, researchers, health-care leaders, advocates and people with lived experience to discuss shared priorities in cardiac and stroke care.
The Manitoba government continues working with partners across the health-care system to strengthen prevention, awareness and access to timely care for Manitobans experiencing cardiac and stroke-related health issues.