The familiar sea of red will once again sweep across Waterloo Region this Friday as RedDAY marks its annual return with a significantly expanded mission. What began as a heartfelt tribute following a personal tragedy has evolved into a powerful regional movement promoting cardiovascular health awareness and education.
Founded by Mary D’Alton after losing her husband Brian to a sudden heart attack in 2012, RedDAY has transformed from a memorial initiative into a comprehensive heart health campaign that now partners with St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation. This year’s campaign introduces several new elements designed to deepen its impact across the community.
“After Brian died, I wanted to create something meaningful that could potentially save other families from experiencing what we went through,” D’Alton explained during a recent interview at the CO24 News studio. “What started as wearing red to honor his memory has grown beyond anything I could have imagined.”
The 2024 edition features an expanded heart health education component that will reach thousands of students across the Waterloo Region District School Board and the Waterloo Catholic District School Board. Participating schools will incorporate specialized curriculum materials focusing on cardiovascular health, risk factors, and preventative measures appropriate for various age groups.
St. Mary’s Hospital cardiologist Dr. Emma Weatherly emphasized the importance of early education: “Heart disease remains Canada’s second leading cause of death, but many risk factors are modifiable through lifestyle choices. By educating young people, we’re potentially saving lives decades in the future.”
New this year, RedDAY has partnered with over 40 local businesses that will donate a portion of Friday’s proceeds to cardiac care initiatives. The funds raised will support St. Mary’s Regional Cardiac Care Centre’s acquisition of advanced diagnostic equipment and community outreach programs in Canada.
Regional Chair Karen Redman, who has participated since 2015, highlighted the economic dimension of heart health. “Beyond the human toll, cardiovascular disease costs our business community millions in lost productivity. RedDAY’s preventative approach represents both compassionate and fiscally responsible politics.”
The campaign’s most visible element remains unchanged – the invitation for everyone to wear red on Friday. Local landmarks including Kitchener City Hall, the University of Waterloo’s Dana Porter Library, and Conestoga Mall will be illuminated in red to mark the occasion.
“What makes RedDAY special is its simplicity paired with substance,” noted Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett. “Anyone can participate by wearing red, but behind that symbolic gesture lies serious education and potentially life-saving awareness.”
The initiative has demonstrated measurable impact. Hospital data indicates that emergency cardiac care visits increased by 14% following last year’s campaign, suggesting more people recognized symptoms requiring immediate attention. Additionally, enrollment in CPR training programs across the region saw a 23% surge in the weeks following RedDAY 2023.
As RedDAY approaches its milestone 10th anniversary next year, D’Alton revealed plans for expanding into neighboring communities throughout southwestern Ontario. “We’ve been approached by several municipalities interested in replicating our model. Heart disease doesn’t respect municipal boundaries, so neither should our efforts to combat it.”
With cardiovascular disease affecting nearly 9 million Canadians and causing more than 33,000 deaths annually according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, initiatives like RedDAY represent crucial components of world health strategies to reduce preventable deaths.
As Waterloo Region prepares to transform into a landscape of red this Friday, the question remains: beyond wearing a specific color, how might each of us incorporate heart-healthy choices into our daily lives to protect ourselves and those we love?
