Patient Programs & Resources for BC & Yukon

From the informative Recovery Road workbook to a newsletter and support programs for you and your family, the Heart and Stroke Foundation provides the information and support you need.
For more information on programs and resources for patients not located on this site, please call toll-free 1-888-HSF-INFO (1-888-473-4636).
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Download the most recent Educational Resource Catalogue(PDF).

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Download the BC ACLS Algorithms (PDF), reflecting the recent changes to ECC guidelines.

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Resources for Heart Patients

Recovery Road: Newly Revised Edition

An interactive and informative resource available to cardiac patients and their families through their health care professionals. It includes sections on learning how the heart works, how to recognize a heart attack and how to deal with it, understanding risk factors, and various methods for treating heart-related difficulties. If your doctor or nurse has not given you a copy, ask for the Recovery Road by name. Download your copy here (PDF - 2MB).

Recovery Road is also available in French, Chinese and Punjabi.

Health care professionals, hospitals and clinics are encouraged to order this resource free of charge by calling 1-888-HSF-INFO (1-888-473-4636).

Heartline Newsletter

Want to stay on top of the latest cardiac research? How about some delicious recipes and new ideas for making healthy lifestyle changes? Or perhaps you want to read about other people's stories of courage and survival? Heartline is our quarterly newsletter for people interested in heart health. Call the InfoLine at 1-888-HSF-INFO (1-888-473-4636) for a free subscription. Download a copy of the latest edition (PDF).


Heart to Heart
Heart to Heart has been discontinued as a National Program and is no longer offered in it’s prior format.
Presently however there is an Island Heart to Heart program running which is currently administered through the Victoria Cardiac Rehab Society. For information on this program, please contact the Program Coordinator at 778-678-8423 or h2h.vcrs@shaw.ca.

Patient Visitation Programs
Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC & Yukon works to support various patient visitation groups throughout the province. Each group is run independently and meets at different times and locations. For more information in your area please contact the following:

  • Kamloops – Mending Hearts Group
    Meetings are held at 3:30 pm on the third Wednesday of every month (except July and August)  
    Dick Weller 250-374-8468
    Morey Aboussafy 250-314-1237
    Jean Highlands 250-851-8342
  • Victoria – Island Heart To Heart
    Program Coordinator - Claire Madill
    778-678-8423
    h2h.vcrs@shaw.ca
  • Burnaby – Hearts On The Mend Group
    MaureenBaker@fraserhealth.ca
    604-412-6602
  • Chilliwack Heart Support Group
    Meetings are held at 2 pm on the fourth Wednesday of each month
    Al 604-795-3096
    Julie 604-858-5018
    Caroll 604-858-9523
  • Surrey - Hearts On The Mend Group
    John Stott
    john.stott@fraserhealth.ca


Unite with patients, survivors, and caregivers throughout British Columbia on our Patient Caregiver Message Board. It’s a great forum to exchange tips, stories, and personal patient or caregiver experiences. We will also use this message board to keep you informed with what we are up to at the Foundation and what we can do to aid you or your loved one’s recovery.

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Resources for Stroke Patients

If you or your loved one has recently had a stroke, the Heart and Stroke Foundation has information on stroke and related conditions. Following are a few resources available for people dealing and living with the effects of stroke.

Let's Talk About Stroke

An interactive and informative resource for people and their family members dealing with the effects of a stroke. The booklet is full of information on what a stroke is, how they happen and the changes that can be expected. It also contains information on medications, rehabilitation, role of the caregiver in recovery, how to develop a healthy lifestyle, stroke clubs and more. If your doctor has not given you a copy, ask for Let's Talk About Stroke by name. Download your copy here (PDF).

Health professionals are encouraged to order this resource free of charge by calling 1-888-HSF-INFO (1-888-473-4636).

Let's Talk About Stroke is also available in French, Chinese and Punjabi.

StrokeLine Newsletter

Want to read about recovering from stroke or helpful hints for the caregiver? Download the Strokeline Newsletter (PDF).

TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack) Workbook

The workbook, titled Understanding Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) has been designed for TIA patients who wish to prevent the occurrence of a full-blown stroke. Download the workbook (PDF).

Stroke Recovery Group

For a recovery group in your area, please contact the Stroke Recovery Association of BC at www.strokerecoverybc.ca or call 604-688-3603, toll-free: 1-888-313-3377.


Unite with patients, survivors, and caregivers throughout British Columbia on our Patient Caregiver Message Board. It’s a great forum to exchange tips, stories, and personal patient or caregiver experiences. We will also use this message board to keep you informed with what we are up to at the Foundation and what we can do to aid you or your loved one’s recovery.

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Heart and Stroke InfoLine


Do you have questions about heart disease and stroke, risk factors, healthy lifestyles, or resources and programs available in your community? We can help. Our specially trained volunteers are ready to answer your call Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 pm. We'll be delighted to answer your questions over the phone and/or mail you information on various topics. Let us do the research for you!

Call 1-888-HSF-INFO (1-888-473-4636)

Ask about information available in French, Chinese, or Punjabi.

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Patient Programs Facebook Group

We're on Facebook! Join up to find out what programs and resources are available for individuals living and dealing with heart disease and stroke.

Patient Programs - Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC & Yukon

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Patient and Family Resource Centres
The Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC & Yukon, in partnership with various hospitals across the province, have joined together to develop hospital-based Patient and Family Resource Centres. These centres have been made available for patients, their family and health professionals to learn more about cardiovascular disease. Each resource centre is set up with information pamphlets, 3-D models, posters, videos and computer based resources. Call the InfoLine at 1-888-HSF-INFO (1-888-473-4636) for more information, or to inquire about developing one in your hospital.

They are located in 13 hospitals throughout British Columbia:

  1. St. Paul's Hospital
  2. Royal Columbian Hospital
  3. Peace Arch Hospital
  4. Vancouver General Hospital
  5. G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre
  6. Holy Family Hospital
  7. Royal Jubilee Hospital (Victoria)
  8. Kelowna General Hospital - Stroke Unit
  9. Kamloops - Royal Inland Hospital
  10. Prince George Hospital
  11. Surrey Memorial Hospital
  12. Quesnel - Chronic Disease Management Centre
    (G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital)
  13. Campbell River Hospital