Cardiac Support Group starts online community

If you or a loved one has had a heart attack, stent, bypass, or other heart problem, you might be interested to know that Calgary’s Heart to Heart Support Society now has a Facebook group to facilitate ongoing support, encouragement, and friendship for those adjusting to life after a cardiac event.

History of the Heart to Heart Support Society

Heart to Heart has been around since 1985, with active members who’ve learned to live a full life with heart disease since not long after that. It’s based in Calgary but open to anyone in Alberta, including cardiac patients and their partners, families, and friends. (There have also been chapters in Drumheller, Brooks, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat.)

During the past 30+ years Heart to Heart has:

Hosted monthly meetings for socializing and with speakers who provide health tips
Spawned two special interest groups (Woman to Woman and The Phoenix Club, for younger men)
Raised $500,000 for Calgary Health Trust, which was donated to various heart programs
Visited patients in the cardiac wards at local hospitals, providing support and encouragement
Published a newsletter three times a year.

But as the years have passed, fewer and fewer people have been able to attend monthly meetings. I’ve spoken several times and was struck by the shrinking numbers for such a worthwhile organization.

The vision: Support more Albertans

So I offered to set up a Facebook group for Heart to Heart. I’ve committed to posting events, resources, and questions to stimulate conversation for at least two years, to help get the online cardiac support group off the ground.

My hope is that this will enable Heart to Heart to grow and thrive, and perhaps generate more sub-groups, such as walking clubs or a downtown lunch meetup.

Having a cardiac event can be frightening, but you can reclaim your life, as the good folks at Heart to Heart will help you see.