CALGARY, Nov. 19, 2017 /CNW/ - With Canadian Pacific
(CP) at quarterback and the Canadian Football League (CFL) at
receiver, Touchdowns for Heart has scored often and a total of
$205,500 has been raised so far for
the beautiful hearts at the University of
Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI).
Funds from the campaign with the CFL, which will end after the
105th Grey Cup, will support the largest expansion in
the UOHI's 40-year history and are part of the broader Beautiful
Hearts initiative, which includes funding for the refurbishment of
cardiac facilities that benefit patients at the Children's Hospital
of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). This
summer, CHEO received $2 million from
CP as a result of fundraising efforts as part of the 2017 CP
Women's Open, which took place at Ottawa Hunt and Golf
Club.
"As a result of a total team effort, through our CP Has Heart
initiative we have been successful in raising funds and awareness
for heart health in the Ottawa
valley," said Martin Cej, CP
Assistant Vice-President, Public Affairs and Communications. "To
celebrate Canada 150, we partnered
with two Ottawa-based
world-renowned hospitals that make a difference every day in the
lives of Canadians – young and old – as they navigate the obstacles
of cardiac issues."
Through its sponsorship of the CFL, CP aims to make an impact
for those adults that now require the services of the UOHI.
During the CFL regular season, CP donated $1,000 for each home touchdown made by the Ottawa
REDBLACKS; CP also donated $2,500 for
each touchdown made by the home team during the divisional
semi-finals, and $5,000 for home team
touchdowns during the divisional finals, for a total of
$75,000. An additional $130,500 was generated through fundraising
initiatives carried out during the regular season by the UOHI, the
CFL, and CP. CP will continue Touchdowns for Heart at the
105th Grey Cup on November
26 by donating $10,000 for
every touchdown scored by the Argonauts and Stampeders.
Adults like Olivia Hiddema, a
cardiac patient who underwent open-heart surgery four days after
being born and again when she was 20, will directly benefit from
the UOHI's new 145,000 square foot state-of-the-art clinical space
expansion. This project will allow the Institute to continue to
serve the cardiac care needs of Canadians, as the referral centre
for hospitals through Ottawa and
Eastern Ontario, Nunavut, and for many more patients from
coast-to-coast who come to Ottawa
for life-saving procedures.
"The Heart Institute is grateful to CP for stepping in to help
us promote our fundraising efforts and to serve as a corporate
leader through the CP Has Heart initiative," said Jim Orban, President and CEO of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation
"This $205,500 gift will go a long
way towards helping the Heart Institute to serve the hearts in our
community for many years to come."
Fans are invited to join CP in showing their beautiful hearts
during the 105th Grey Cup Festival at Lansdowne Park in
Ottawa on November 23, 4 p.m.
– 10 p.m., on November 24 and 25, 10
a.m. – 10 p.m. and on
November 26, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Visit the free, family-friendly activities, complete your CP Has
Heart passport and show your Beautiful Heart in support of the UOHI
for a chance to win daily prizes and a 2017 Grey Cup VIP
Experience.
Follow the action on Twitter and Instagram @CPhasHeart. Join the
conversation with #BeautifulHearts and #Touchdowns4Heart. To donate
today, please visit foundation.ottawaheart.ca or text the word
HEART to 45678 to make a $5
donation.
About Canadian Pacific
Canadian Pacific is a transcontinental railway in Canada and the
United States with direct links to eight major ports,
including Vancouver and
Montreal, providing North American
customers a competitive rail service with access to key markets in
every corner of the globe. CP is growing with its customers,
offering a suite of freight transportation services, logistics
solutions and supply chain expertise. Visit cpr.ca to see the rail
advantages of CP.
CP Has Heart
At CP, we know that a railroad may serve as the arteries of a
nation, but at its heart is community. That's why, through CP Has
Heart, we've already committed more than $12
million to help improve the heart health of men, women and
children across North America. And
along the way, we're showing heart whenever we can. Find out more
on www.cpr.ca or @CPhasHeart.
About the University of Ottawa
Heart Institute
We are Canada's foremost heart
health centre dedicated to understanding, treating, and preventing
heart disease. We deliver high-tech care with a personal touch,
shape the way cardiovascular medicine is practiced, and
revolutionize cardiac treatment and understanding. We build
knowledge through research and translate discoveries into advanced
care. We serve the local, national, and international communities
as we pioneer a new era in heart health. Next spring, the
Heart Institute will inaugurate a next generation cardiac centre
that will see more than 145,000 sq. ft. of new space, five
operating rooms and one shelled-in operating room, nine
catheterization/ electrophysiology labs, and an additional surgical
critical care unit with 27 beds. This new facility will ensure our
continued capacity to shape cardiovascular care, research and
education for the coming decades.
SOURCE Canadian Pacific