As 2016 winds down, the Ottawa Heart Institute can look back on a remarkable 40th anniversary year that brought together the extended Heart Institute community in celebration and appreciation.
Congratulations
Political leaders, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, reached out to share their congratulation and best wishes by video:
Founders’ Breakfast
On the beautiful morning of May 11, the Heart Institute held the Founders’ Breakfast to celebrate its birthday. Local dignitaries joined Institute founders Dr. Wilbert Keon and Dr. Donald Beanlands along with current and former staff and patients, as well as the local community.
The event culminated in everyone adding their names to the signature wall that now hangs in the first floor waiting area.
Gala
A gala donor recognition event in October again celebrated Dr. Keon’s legacy with an expert panel on the evolution of cardiac care, moderated by journalist and author Jeffery Simpson. Panellists included world-renowned surgeons Drs. Randolph Chitwood and Tirone David.
Heart Teams Symposium
A symposium hosted by the Heart Institute at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in honour of the 40th anniversary looked at the role of heart teams in Canadian cardiovascular care.
New Building Construction
The Heart Institute expansion project reached an important milestone in November with the completion of the new building’s structure. Excitement is growing as the detail work now begins.
Learn more about the project at Our Expansion.
Flashback Stories
The 40th Anniversary Flashback series was a popular addition to The Beat for 2016. In case you missed any of the stories along the way, here is a recap:
- The First Heart Transplant in Ottawa (February)
The Heart Institute has performed more than 600 transplants, in some years more than any other centre in Canada - Launch of the STEMI Heart Attack Program (March)
The pioneering STEMI program has cut heart attack deaths in half and changed cardiac care internationally - The Opening and Progress of the Heart Institute (May)
May 2016 marks the 40th anniversary of the opening of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute - Princess Diana’s Visit (June)
The royal visit by the Princess of Wales marked a special day in the history of the Heart Institute - First Neonatal Heart Transplant in Canada (July)
In 1989, the founder of the Heart Institute performed a groundbreaking procedure to save the life of an 11-day-old boy - Discovery of the Most Significant Genetic Risk Factor for Heart Disease (August)
The 9p21 finding put genetic research at the Heart Institute on the map - World’s First Point-of-Care Genetic Test (September)
RAPID GENE introduced genetic screening to real-time clinical care - The Tale of the Mummy (October)
A spooky story unearthed from the Heart Institute vaults just in time for Halloween - The RAFT Trial (November)
Landmark study changed the way doctors treat heart failure
“Our sincere thanks go to all those who have participated in the celebration of our 40th anniversary,” said Dr. Thierry Mesana, President and CEO. “We are particularly excited to be moving into our expanded facility in the spring of 2018, and we look forward to serving our patients and advancing cardiovascular care for many decades to come.”