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Hope for Hearts

2020 Impact Report

Homehome_admin2021-02-12T13:51:51+00:00

Hope for Hearts

MISSION

Our mission is to help change the life expectancy and the quality of life of children with heart disease and chronic medical conditions by supporting programs that promote an active and healthy lifestyle.

INSPIRATION

“Life is more than a beating heart. Our next challenge is to make sure that our patients will live at their maximum capacity.”
DR. BARBARA CIFRA, FOUNDER

SICKKIDS-ON-BLUE

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

$83,000

RAISED TO DATE

100+

FAMILIES ASSISTED

4500+

SUN SALUTATIONS
FOR SICKKIDS

block-quote-wide

I think it is important to support The Exercise Medicine Program because children like me who are born with heart disease deserve to play, participate in physical activities, and lead a normal life just like other kids our age.”

-Arezo Farah, SickKids Heart Centre Patient

MORE STORIES FROM THE PROGRAM

Thank you to everyone who participated in our first virtual

Hope for Hearts Yogathon this year!

MORE ABOUT SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

WHAT’S NEW ON INSTAGRAM

Happy #WellnessWednesday! Mark your calendars fo

Happy #WellnessWednesday!

Mark your calendars for next Wednesday’s Sweat + Refresh class with @phairyoga as they take over our Instagram Live at noon!

They’ll start this class with movement that syncs up with the breath to build internal heat, then slow it all down with longer holds in stretchy poses.

If you can’t make it, the class will be recorded so you can watch it later!

#yogisoftoronto
#Hope4Hearts #sickkids #sickkidsvsbrokenhearts #exercisemedicine #hearthealth #yogalove #yogalife #yogaforlife #Torontoyoga #yogilife #yogisoftoronto

Happy #WellnessWednesday! For inspiration on getti

Happy #WellnessWednesday! For inspiration on getting through these crazy times, we spoke with nutritionist and yoga instructor, Lisa McMurtrie from @wellbalancehealth

➡️ICYMI check out her Detox Flow class saved on our IG t.v.!

—

I’m amazed at the resilience of our bodies. My passion has exploded in the ability to read my body's subtle cues. I ask myself often "what do I need right now?" Sometimes the answer that comes up is a gentle yin practice, sometimes I need something powerful and strong, sometimes I need to move and sweat it all out, and sometimes the answer isn't yoga. I would say my practice is about creating balance in my day-to-day living so that I can show up at my full potential.

My number one tip right now is prioritizing time for a digital detox. We’re now on our screens more than we have ever been before, and some signs of excessive exposure can look like lack of concentration, headaches, sleep disturbances, and fatigue. I try to prioritize no screens after 8 pm, and I try to pick one day a month where I do a full digital detox and drop off the map for a bit.

I have this crazy drive to help people feel better, stress less and live their most balanced life. I’m inspired by the stories my students, clients, and peers share with me. Their stories and shared experiences have put me on a mission to build a community of like-minded individuals who genuinely care about bettering their physical and mental wellbeing.

(And, because we love to talk about food) 
Okay, so food is a big deal in our house, and I may know a lot about nutrition, but my fiancé is definitely the better cook. Cooking is an art that I'm still mastering. That being said, the go-to mid-week healthy dinner recipe is usually TACOS🌮 !

➡️ Stay in touch with Lisa:

Right now I am offering private yoga, however, I will be launching my new yoga program called Yoga For Your Gut, which combines digestive healing with food and your yoga practice. Follow my @wellbalancehealth page on IG to stay in the know for when this program opens up for registration!

#yogisoftoronto #torontoyoga
#Hope4Hearts #sickkids #exercisemedicine #hearthealth #hope4hearts

Physical activity in a pandemic: Time for a new de

Physical activity in a pandemic: Time for a new definition!

This past year has made us look at many things in our lives differently. This infographic from the British Journal of Sports Medicine is a great visual for changing how we can think about physical activity. From the traditional definition of "any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure” to a more broader and inclusive definition.

➡️A more inclusive definition of physical activity considers the different ways people move, act and perform within culturally specific spaces and contexts, and it’s influenced by interests, emotions, ideas, instructions and relationships

What’s your relationship with physical activity? Has it changed during the past months?

What motivates you to be active?

#Hope4Hearts #sickkids #sickkidsvsbrokenhearts #exercisemedicine #hearthealth #yogalove #yogalife #yogaforlife #Torontoyoga #yogilife #yogisoftoronto

#candle4covid Virgil : Today is 1-year anniversary

#candle4covid Virgil : Today is 1-year anniversary from the declaration of the Covid 19 global pandemic. Let’s not forget the lives that have been lost & the losses we have all experienced, as our lives change in response to the pandemic. Please continue to keep safe & #TogetherWeCanDoIt. Please share this.
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#lestweforget #virgil #rememberance #lightacandle #wearamask #stayhealthy #keepyourfamilyhealthy

Join us this Wednesday at noon on IG live, as Lisa

Join us this Wednesday at noon on IG live, as Lisa McMurtrie @wellbalancehealth leads us through a half-hour Detox Flow.

This is a class that starts low and slow, and builds upon each sequence to heat up your body. This class stimulates the detoxification process that already works within your body.

➡️Stimulate digestive system
➡️Improve circulation
➡️Sweat out toxins through the skin
➡️Stimulate lymphatic and respiratory systems

Expect lots of twisting, stretching and muscular engagement. All levels welcome!

If you can’t join us live, we’ll be recording the sessions so you can view it at any time you need a break in your day to get your body moving!

#Hope4Hearts #sickkids #sickkidsvsbrokenhearts #exercisemedicine #hearthealth #yogalove #yogalife #yogaforlife #Torontoyoga #yogilife #yogisoftoronto #WellnessWednesday

#tbt to our very first Hope for Hearts Yogathon in

#tbt to our very first Hope for Hearts Yogathon in 2017! Were you there?!

We want to say a very special thank you 🙏to everyone who supported us that year and over the years since❤️.

We look forward to the day when we can fill a large gymnasium with laughing yogis again. Until then, we hope you can join us in our virtual Wellness Wednesday Series on the first Wednesday of the month!

Next Wednesday at noon, Lisa McMurtrie from @wellbalancehealth leads us through a lunchtime Yoga Detox!

#yogisoftoronto
#Hope4Hearts #sickkids #sickkidsvsbrokenhearts #exercisemedicine #hearthealth #yogalove #yogalife #yogaforlife #Torontoyoga #yogilife #yogisoftoronto #heartmonth

Happy #WellnessWednesday! For inspiration on getti

Happy #WellnessWednesday! For inspiration on getting through these crazy times, we asked yoga instructor, Robert Young, what keeps him motivated. Read below⬇️.

—

Ask yourself two questions at the end of the day. Did I bring joy? Did I find joy? Make joy a sacred responsibility.

I am motivated by the energy that is generated in a group of focused yogis. We are more than the sum of our parts. Typically the tipping point is a group of 10.

The foundation of my yoga practice was the very physical disciples of gymnastics and aerobics, which lead me immediately into the ashtanga and bikram styles of yoga.
After about a decade of that physical immersion, I trained in kundalini and restorative yoga to become more familiar with the yin side of yoga and a deeper understanding of relaxing, mantras, and meditation. Teaching Yoga Fusion™ allows me to use the best of each style to create a unique journey in every class. 
(And because we love to eat 😋, we asked Robert about his go-to healthy mid-week dinner…)

Since last March, I have been getting Goodfood delivery, so every week is different and healthy; everything from halloumi pesto burgers and New England fish chowder to baked chicken parmesan. 
If you missed it, check out the recording of his IG Live class from our first Wellness Wednesday ❤️Live saved on our IG TV!

➡️Contact Robert through his website and ask about his weekly Zoom class schedule www.bodylanguageto.com

#Hope4Hearts #sickkids #sickkidsvsbrokenhearts #exercisemedicine #hearthealth #yogalove #yogalife #yogaforlife #Torontoyoga #yogilife #yogisoftoronto #heartmonth

Welcome to the 2021 Hope for Hearts ♥️ Yogatho

Welcome to the 2021 Hope for Hearts ♥️ Yogathon x Equinox!

Click on the link in our bio to access this free virtual event that feature six classes led by talented Equinox instructors who will guide you through different styles of yoga practice from some amazing places like Hawaii and California.

We are incredibly proud to have @Equinox and @karinshay4 as our partner once again!

Classes will be available throughout the month of February in celebration of Heart Month, so you can tune in to watch along as your schedule allows!

#Hope4Hearts #sickkids #sickkidsvsbrokenhearts #exercisemedicine #hearthealth #yogalove #yogalife #yogaforlife #Torontoyoga #yogilife #yogisoftoronto #WellnessWednesday #HeartMonth #freeyoga #valentinesday #yogaforacause

Celebrate Heart Month: 2021 Hope for Hearts Yogath

Celebrate Heart Month: 2021 Hope for Hearts Yogathon x Equinox!

We are incredibly proud to have @equinox as our partner once again!

This virtual event will feature six classes led by talented Equinox instructors who will guide you through different styles of yoga practice from some amazing places like Hawaii and California.

Classes will be available throughout the month of February in celebration of Heart Month❤️, so you can tune in to watch along as your schedule allows.

Stay tuned 👀for details!

#Hope4Hearts #sickkids #sickkidsvsbrokenhearts #exercisemedicine #hearthealth #yogalove #yogalife #yogaforlife #Torontoyoga #yogilife #yogisoftoronto #WellnessWednesday #heartmonth

We are incredibly proud to announce Hope for Hear

We are incredibly proud to announce Hope for Hearts partnership with Cosecha Imports.

10% of net proceeds from sales of Cosecha X Celler Pardas collaboration wine, Polar Boar 2019, will be donated to Hope for Hearts.

Polar Boar 2019 is a 100% old vine Sumoll red grown on slate soil. A crisp, delicious red with glorious fruit and minerality at its core, ideal for all occasions and food pairings!

Cosecha is the Spanish word for harvest, and at @cosechaimports, they scour the Spanish countryside, to discover artisanal winemakers who have recovered the low-intervention, traditional winemaking practices of their grandparents’ generation. Bringing Cosecha wine home, you are assured the very best of sustainable farming, minimal intervention and low use of sulphites.

Visit their website at cosechaimports.com to order for delivery to your door!

📸@terchablue

#Hope4Hearts #sickkids #sickkidsvsbrokenhearts #exercisemedicine #hearthealth

In celebration of Heart Month❤️, we’re launc

In celebration of Heart Month❤️, we’re launching the Hope for Hearts Wellness Series featuring some of the incredible instructors who’ve supported Hope for Hearts over the years.

Join us this Wednesday at noon on IG live, as Robert Young leads us through a half-hour of Yoga Fusion™ Stay-at-home and Chillax.

**This means no standing poses but loads of postures for both the slightly stiff and eternally bendy.

For more about Robert and Yoga Fusion™, visit www.bodylanguageto.com

If you can’t join us live, we’ll be recording the sessions so you can view them at any time you need a break in your day to get your body moving!

#Hope4Hearts #sickkids #sickkidsvsbrokenhearts #exercisemedicine #hearthealth #yogalove #yogalife #yogaforlife #Torontoyoga #yogilife #yogisoftoronto #WellnessWednesday #heartmonth

Join us next Wednesday, as we launch the Hope for

Join us next Wednesday, as we launch the Hope for Hearts Wellness Series❤️!

On the first Wednesday of each month, tune in to IG live at noon for a 30-minute class with some of our favourite yogis.

We’re thrilled to offer an exciting lineup of instructors who’ve supported the Hope for Hearts Yogathon over the last several years.

Clockwise from top left:
@wellbalancehealth
@phairyoga
@patharadalinfoot
Robert Young, www.bodylanguageto.com
@iamjacquiwells
@terchablue

Mark your calendars, and stay tuned for details!

#Hope4Hearts #sickkids #sickkidsvsbrokenhearts #exercisemedicine #hearthealth #yogalove #yogalife #yogaforlife #Torontoyoga #yogilife #yogisoftoronto #WellnessWednesday

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