Celebrating Heart Month

As February’s Heart and Stroke month draws to a close, Goldcorp has committed to continuing support for local organizations year-round through events that promote health awareness.  One way we’re living up to this commitment is by investing in health organizations such as the Heart & Stroke Foundation and by encouraging healthy lifestyle choices for its employees.  And so, to close off Heart month, we invited Donna McLennan, Director, Corporate Relations, BC & Yukon | Heart and Stroke Foundation to pen a few words for us.

Heart disease and stroke impact us all. These diseases take over 70,000 lives every year – that’s one Canadian life every seven minutes. From an economic standpoint, cardiovascular disease has an impact on Canada of close to $21 billion a year in healthcare costs and lost productivity. The good news is that over the last 60 years, the death rate for heart disease and stroke has declined by more than 75% due to advancements in research and treatment. That decline has resulted in more than 1.6 million people with improved health – including 165,000 survivors just this past year.

As Presenting Sponsor of the Heart and Stroke Foundations’ Heart of Gold Gala for the last three years, Goldcorp has made a commitment to help reduce both the incidence and impact of these diseases. Goldcorp has actively worked with the Foundation to improve the health of all Canadians and continues its mission of preventing disease, saving lives and promoting recovery. As the largest research funder after the federal government, the Foundation’s research discoveries lead to education, prevention and treatment programs for all Canadians and to recovery and rehabilitation programs that help survivors live longer, healthier lives. 

We took the foundation’s mandate to heart.  Literally. 

On June 2nd, 2013, a team of Goldcorp employees and their families participated in the Becel Heart & Stroke Ride for Heart.  This annual event raises funds and awareness for The Heart and Stroke Foundation. In 2013, it attracted 13,000 participants who chose to bike 25km, 50km or 75km on 2 major highways in Toronto.

At Porcupine Gold Mines in Timmins, Goldcorp hosted a series of mini health fairs for employees in February. A team of occupational health nurses checkred blood pressure as well as blood glucose levels. Representatives from the Porcupine Health Unit were on hand to encourage participation in the Canadian Cancer Society’s smoking cessation program: ‘Driven to Quit’.

In August 2013, Éléonore put together a team that cycled 266km over 3 days in the Tour du Lac Promutuel event, to raise funds for sustainable development projects in Burkina Faso and Ecuador. The Tour was a win-win, as it supported a worthy international cause and also encouraged  employees to train and participate in a challenging physical event.    

Goldcorp’s concern for health reaches far beyond the property line. Going forward, Goldcorp has committed to continuing to support local organizations and events that promote health awareness and prevention as well as healthy lifestyle choices.