JUMP IN™ – Thank you for $155,000!
In September, the Heart Institute Foundation, along with a team of dedicated volunteers, brought us JUMP IN™ – a new virtual event supporting women’s heart health. Many are aware that heart disease is the number one killer of women around the world and action is required to help save lives.
JUMP IN™ supported women’s heart health by raising funds directed to innovative research, education and programming at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre. Donations help the Heart Institute doctors and researchers better understand, treat and prevent heart disease to give women and their families the gift of time.
The event kick-off was launched via social media on September 1st, and featured Dr. Thais Coutinho, Chief, Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation and Chair, Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre (CWHHC), Natalie Tommy, JUMP IN™ Committee Chair, Nadia Lappa, Patient & CWHHC Spokesperson and Lianne Laing, Executive Director University of Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation. They explained why funding and participation in this initiative are so important to the Heart Institute and how the event aligns with their core values.
This new and exciting initiative was a virtual challenge to complete 30 minutes of physical activity for 30 days. Participants were allowed to complete the activity of their choice at their own pace, in their own space and invite family members, friends and co-workers to join them.
Education sponsors provided weekly heart health tips, such as “Did you know that experts say it takes 21 days to form a new habit?” This made the 30-day JUMP IN™ challenge the PERFECT tool to learn more about heart disease in women all while kick-starting a heart healthy routine.
All month long, donations to the JUMP IN™ initiative were matched by outstanding community match sponsors. Participants were also eligible to win prizes donated by generous community sponsors. In addition, Activity Partners provided great ideas to keep participants motivated and inspired – providing discounted registration for programs, online videos, etc. The Heart Institute Exercise Physiology and Cardiovascular Health Laboratory provided videos on YouTube featuring yoga, dance and aerobic classes as well as tutorials on how to learn to perform strength training exercises with proper form. Overall, JUMP IN™ was about creating movement that was accessible to all – a walk, playing with the grandkids, a bike ride, any sort of physical activity counted towards the goal.
This very successful initiative created a movement bringing together over 2000 participants across Canada who completed more than 1.8 million minutes of activity. Along with the participants, donations and community matches this event raised $155,000 in support of the Heart Institute and the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre.
Thank you to everyone who JUMPED IN and supported this great cause!
