Manulife to extend support of RedDAY by matching contributions dollar for dollar, up to $200,000

WATERLOO REGION, ON, May 4, 2018 /CNW/ - Each year, St. Mary's General Hospital Foundation hosts RedDAY to raise awareness of the serious risk of heart disease in women, rallying people, workplaces and community leaders from across Waterloo Region to mark the day by wearing red and sharing images on social media with the hashtag #RedDayFriday.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among Canadian women. Every year, heart disease claims the lives of roughly 25,000 women – more than the five most prevalent cancers combined. Yet surprisingly, many women are still unaware of the contributing risk factors, and their ability to control them through everyday lifestyle choices.

Manulife has supported RedDAY since its inception in 2013. This year, Manulife will extend its support to match every donation made to RedDAY, up to $200,000. This means donors can have their generosity matched dollar for dollar, doubling the impact they can make to help raise much-needed funds to support services at St. Mary's Regional Cardiac Care Centre.

"At Manulife, we're passionate about helping people live healthy lives. We are proud to partner with St. Mary's to raise awareness of cardiac health among women in the Waterloo Region and help raise important funds for St. Mary's Regional Cardiac Care Centre," said Mike Doughty, President and CEO of Manulife Canada.

"Our community has invested in a first class Cardiac Centre and we are thrilled that Manulife will continue to lead the way with their increased RedDAY investment. What an amazing endorsement of the great work being done at St. Mary's," says Susan Dusick, President, St. Mary's General Hospital Foundation.

As the Regional Cardiac Care Centre, St. Mary's General Hospital must address the needs of a rapidly expanding population, which includes increasingly aging and complex patients who require access to high quality, specialized cardiac services close to home. Funds raised through RedDAY and the Manulife match will be directed to the establishment of a third catheterization lab at St. Mary's.

"Over the past five years, we've seen about a 30 per cent increase in catheterization procedures at St. Mary's two labs, comparable to what other centres accomplish with three or four facilities. With a projected total of over 4,300 procedures this year, our resources are stretched to maximum capacity. Estimated to grow another 20 per cent in the next five years, there is a significant risk to patient care unless a third catheterization lab is added," states Dr. Brian McNamara, Chief of Cardiovascular Services at St. Mary's Cardiac Care Centre.

Catheterization facilities form the essential foundation of a cardiovascular program. During cardiac catheterization, a long thin tube called a catheter is inserted in an artery and threaded through blood vessels to the heart. This procedure is fundamental in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular conditions.

For more information on how to register, participate or donate to RedDAY, visit www.redday.ca.

About St. Mary's General Hospital Foundation
St. Mary's General Hospital Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to enhancing patient care at St. Mary's General Hospital through the funding of vital equipment and programs. In addition to larger capital projects, St. Mary's General Hospital relies upon the Foundation to provide the necessary funds each year to cover costs related to on-going replacement and enhancement of standard equipment which is not covered by Government funding. Over the past 10 years the Foundation has transferred over $50 million to the hospital, enabling innovative patient centered care, delivered with compassion and respect.

About Manulife
Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. We operate primarily as John Hancock in the United States and Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance, as well as wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions. At the end of 2017, we had about 35,000 employees, 73,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving more than 26 million customers. As of March 31, 2018, we had over $1.1 trillion (US$850 billion) in assets under management and administration, and in the previous 12 months we made $26.9 billion in payments to our customers. Our principal operations are in Asia, Canada and the United States where we have served customers for more than 100 years. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong.