Fashion from the Heart

MONTREAL February 11, 2011 – Last night, Valentine’s Day came early for women with heart disease at the first annual Red Dress Gala hosted by the Royal Victoria Hospital Foundation, in collaboration with Lasalle College. The fashion event aims to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease in women and supports the Women’s Healthy Heart Initiative (WHHI) at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), which provides resources and counselling for women at risk of heart disease. 

The Red Dress has become a national symbol for heart disease awareness for women. The theme of the Red Dress Gala was ‘fashion from the heart’ and local models took to the runway in crimson dresses created by Montreal designers such as Helmer, Simon Chang, Travis Taddeo, Chromosome, Francois Champagne and more.

“The Gala was a great success and a wonderful atmosphere,” says Paulanne Jushkevich, President of the Royal Victoria Hospital Foundation. "We are happy to be spreading the word in this community about women’s Cardiovascular Disease and about the Women’s Healthy Heart Initiative.  We hope that this event makes Montreal women more aware of the number one cause of death in women, and of what the MUHC is doing to help them.”

The WHHI clinic opened at the Royal Victoria Hospital in May of 2009 and is the first nurse-led, women’s heart disease primary prevention clinic in the country.  Since its inception, more than 250 women have enrolled at the clinic, each receiving a complete heart disease risk assessment, treatment, and access to counselling and follow-up care 24-hours per day. 

Recent data suggest that cardiovascular disease accounts for more than thirty per cent of all female deaths in Canada – more than all forms of cancer combined. “What we are doing to bring attention to this issue is critical, as misconceptions still persist that cardiovascular disease is not a ‘real problem’ for women,” says nurse-clinician Wendy Wray, founding director of the WHHI. “This is something we are trying to change through education that we hope will make women aware of the risks as well as the symptoms, which can be different from those found in men.”

Another initiative that supports the WHHI is the Royal Victoria Hospital Foundation’s Wear Red Day.  Last year’s event, which is part of a national campaign, raised close to $10,000.  Visit www.muhc.ca/store to make a donation or contact Geneviève Legault at 514 934-1934 ext. 71203 for more information.

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The McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) is a comprehensive academic health institution with an international reputation for excellence in clinical programs, research and teaching. Its partner hospitals are The Montreal Children's Hospital, the Montreal General Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital, the Montreal Neurological Hospital and Institute, the Montreal Chest Institute and the Lachine Hospital. The goal of the MUHC is to provide patient care based on the most advanced knowledge in the healthcare field, and to contribute to the development of new knowledge.

For more information please contact
Danielle Taylor
Public Affairs and Strategic Planning
Danielle [dot] taylor [at] muhc [dot] mcgill [dot] ca
514.934.1934 x 34319