Heart and Stroke Foundation

The Heart and Stroke Foundation is enabling U of T investigators to make discoveries and translate research into better outcomes for people across Canada facing heart disease and stroke.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation, founded in 1952, is one of Canada’s largest and most effective health charities. Since its launch, the death rate from heart disease and stroke has declined by more than 75 per cent, with the foundation playing a key role as the largest financial contributor to heart disease and stroke research in Canada after the federal government.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation supports hundreds of researchers in medical institutes, universities, hospitals and communities across Canada. At U of T, the foundation has donated more than $65 million in grants and in awards to research and teaching, highlighted by a landmark $30-million commitment announced in 2013. This funding is part of a $300-million cross-country initiative supporting heart disease and stroke research at leading health-care institutions.

The foundation’s commitment is strengthening the extraordinary network of U of T faculty members who are already pursuing breakthroughs in cardiovascular research, teaching and clinical innovation. The University’s Heart & Stroke Richard Lewar Centre of Excellence in Cardiovascular Research, for example, features more than 90 faculty researchers who are making vital contributions to cardiovascular science and clinical care.

With this ongoing investment, the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the University of Toronto will continue to make critical advances that save lives and reduce the devastating impact of heart disease and stroke on our families and communities.