Who we are
The Love Your Heart Project (J’aime mon cœur) is an independent, not-for-profit foundation based in Hawkesbury, Ontario. Our mandate is bilingual education for cardiovascular disease prevention and the early detection of valvular heart disease and dyslipidemia, on both sides of the Ontario–Quebec border.
Why we exist
The Hawkesbury–Prescott-Russell–Argenteuil–Montérégie-Ouest corridor is home to more than 110,000 people, roughly one in five of whom is 75 or older. The region is rural and largely francophone, the nearest cardiology services can be 90 km or more away, and many seniors have no primary care provider. Even those who do are often never checked for valvular heart disease or dyslipidemia. Yet both conditions can be found early — and early detection changes outcomes.
How we started
The foundation grew out of a one-day cardiovascular screening event held at Hawkesbury General Hospital in February 2026. What was found in people who had never been screened made the gap impossible to ignore.
What we do — and what we don’t
We educate. We identify. We connect. We do not provide clinical care, perform any medical act, or hold patient records. In Quebec we operate on an education-only basis. Every person we reach chooses where they go next.
Our principles
- Patient choice first. We present every option; the person decides.
- Bilingual, always. Everything we produce exists in French and English.
- Independent. Our content is set by our medical director and board, never by a funder.
- Evidence-based. Our teaching follows Canadian Cardiovascular Society and ACC/AHA guidelines.
Phase 1 (2026–2027)
Our first phase focuses on adults 75 and older — the highest-risk, least-screened group. It begins in fall 2026 with education sessions for community pharmacy teams in Western Quebec and for family physician and nurse practitioner groups in Prescott-Russell, Ontario. As capacity grows, we intend to widen the age range and the territory we serve.
Our clinical partners
Clinical partners are care providers who agree to receive people identified through the program. The Healthy Heart Clinic at Hawkesbury General Hospital is our first partner; additional partners in Quebec and Ontario are being recruited.
Leadership
Dr. Emile Saliba, MD, FRCPC — President. Cardiologist with echocardiography training and Chief of Medicine at Hawkesbury General Hospital.
Board of directors: Dr. Emile Saliba (President); Elizabeth Durocher; Arianne Vallières, NP; Dr. Alexandra Bastiany.
