Stories
& news
that heals.
My dance with life
In desperation, I pulled the fire alarm… Long before then, it all started with sleepless nights. I was 15 years old, and before long, my tossing and turning had become the onset of my mental illness. Suddenly, I couldn’t tell the difference between what was real...
Meet our guiding lights
It’s not hard for any of us to talk about our physical health – things like blood sugar, or a broken bone. But bring up mental illness, and suddenly we go silent for fear of stigma. As a psychiatrist in St. Boniface Hospital’s Mental Health Program for nearly 20...
Finding her voice
Foundation supporter Kim Clermont with on-air personality Joe Aiello during our 2018 Radiothon of Hope and Healing, sponsored by Vickar Automotive Group. After a near-fatal heart attack in 2017, a kind and quiet soul gained the perspective and the confidence to speak...
Gérald Fay held his grandchild for the first time
Micheline Fay shares her family’s story: My brother and his wife were expecting their second child. As Dad fought on in the Cardiac Unit, and with the baby’s due date approaching, my brother said, “He needs to meet the baby before he leaves us.” Late at night on...
She was less than two pounds
Jenna Book, a mother in Altona, Manitoba, shares her story: My diagnosis was HELLP Syndrome, a life-threatening pregnancy disorder. The only way to resolve it is to deliver the baby and placenta. In my case, only 26 weeks into my pregnancy. After a whirlwind 24 hours,...
Care fit for a King
Tom King, a husband and father from Winnipeg, recalls the moment nearly 20 years ago when his heart first began racing unexpectedly and irregularly. “I was out for a walk with my daughter – she was just little – and it came out of nowhere,” says King, 58. “I didn’t...
Magical hands provide life-saving surgery
Kelley had lived with a heart murmur all her life, but it never kept her from doing the things she wanted to. Then, something changed. She became more and more “breathy” going up the stairs. She chalked up a lack of stamina to work stress and menopause. During...
Celebrating mental health and wellness
Each year, Canadians are encouraged to spend time sharing their personal experiences with mental health and mental illness, either in person, at events, or online, starting on the second Monday in May. Mental Health Week raises awareness for mental health care, with a...
I was having a “widow-maker” heart attack
Erin Thomas, a grade 3 teacher in Winnipeg, shares her story: It was halfway through February 2017, and for days I’d found myself short of breath when walking short distances and climbing stairs. I knew I should see my doctor, of course. But I was so busy…I’m sure you...
Home away from home
When you visit the home of Jennilie and Mathieu Perreault, you’re welcomed into the hustle and bustle of a very busy household. You will feel the love and warmth of their family with “three under three.” While Mathieu is a speedy forward with the NHL's Winnipeg Jets,...
Matters of the heart
Heart health is vital – but doctors continue to struggle with women’s heart disease. Because women experience heart disease differently from men, it’s harder to adequately diagnose, treat, and support them. And this leads to dire results: women in Canada are...