We are deeply honoured to serve as co-chairs of the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation's HEART BEAT FOR THE FUTURE campaign.

The Montreal Heart Institute (MHI), an organization that has distinguished itself for its treatment and knowledge in the cardiology field, is an undisputed leader in Canada, a respected partner worldwide and an unmistakable point of reference and centre of excellence of which we are exceedingly proud.

Yet, the MHI's major accomplishments cannot eclipse the fact cardiovascular disease remains a major cause of death in the province of Quebec and all of Canada. We urge you to support the MHI's projects by contributing to its Foundation's campaign, thereby addressing this problem that has become a societal issue.

The MHI needs the proper funding to be able to advance research in cardiology and maintain its position as an international force in both technology development in the field of cardiology, and basic and clinical research.

The MHI must also actively pursue its mission of training the professionals of the future in an appropriate academic environment that measures up to its objectives of excellence. A proven leader in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, it intends to completely fulfill its responsibilities and leadership role in the community in this regard.

The Montreal Heart Institute also requires physical facilities that are more functional and adapted to its needs so it can continue to provide Quebecers with ultra-specialized care, superior quality and state-of-the-art medicine.

These are the objectives that the MHI hopes to achieve over the next few years, and we heartily endorse them.

We call on your generosity to enable the MHI to meet the HEART BEAT FOR THE FUTURE challenge. Let's join forces to actively contribute to its development and growth, for our own well-being and that of future generations.

Campaign Cabinet 
Members of the Campaign Cabinet

A world-renowned centre of excellence dedicated to cardiac health

The MHI is a well-kept secret; perhaps too much so, in fact. People have heard the name, but do they know where the institution is located? Are they aware of what it actually does?

The MHI is one of Quebec's finest assets. It is a wellspring of knowledge, recognized internationally as an expert in cardiovascular medicine. Globally it ranks on par with such other specialized cardiology centres as the Cleveland Clinic, the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and the Thorax Center in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Many significant milestones have occurred at the MHI over the years, including the first cardiac procedure using an artificial heart-lung disease machine (1957), the first pacemaker implant in Quebec (1961), the first heart transplant in Canada (1968), the first coronary angioplasty in Canada (1980), the world's first atrial fibrillation treatment by cryoablation (1998), and the first post-infarction percutaneous closure of an interventricular septal defect (2002). Highly sophisticated surgical techniques such as coronary angioplasty and surgery of the aortic and mitral valves are conducted there. Each year, eminent researchers and clinicians from all over the world apply for positions at the MHI in their respective areas of expertise. Former fellows of the Institute now head research and cardiac care units in major hospitals worldwide. The majority of cardiologists and heart surgeons currently practising in Quebec were trained at the MHI. The MHI provides treatment and follow-up to thousands of patients annually, many of whom have the most complex illnesses.

There is currently much discussion in Quebec about "healthcare science parks", a concept deemed to be the wave of the future. But MHI's founders were ahead of their time when, in 1954, they created a cardiology centre based on this very concept, where patient care, research, teaching and prevention were all to be found under one roof. Fifty years of existence and 50 years of experience have created an institution with considerable local and international impact.

The Institute must not only continue to be influential, but also, it must broaden its influence. This is why we must act now so that we may give the MHI the resources it needs to pursue its work to continue meeting the highest standards and maintaining its ranking among the world's best. This is the objective of the HEART BEAT FOR THE FUTURE campaign, the largest fundraising initiative ever undertaken by the MHI Foundation.