Powering Bioscience Breakthroughs in Vancouver with Heart & Stroke
As Senior Vice President, Western Canada at Heart & Stroke, Robyn Jones-Murrell is leading the charge on some of the most pressing health issues affecting Canadians today. Drawing on her deep experience in the charitable sector and personal connection to the cause, Robyn oversees mission and fundraising initiatives across the region, building lasting partnerships and driving impact from the ground up. In this article, Robyn shares how Heart & Stroke is not only advancing lifesaving research and care but also helping power British Columbia’s growing bioscience sector.
While biotech companies often grab the spotlight, one of Canada’s leading health charities is making waves in the research world. Heart & Stroke is a driving force behind cutting-edge science that’s not only saving lives but also fueling the economy.
We’re tackling a critical challenge for Canadian businesses: the impact of heart disease and stroke on women, who make up nearly half of the country’s workforce. And some of the most important work is happening right here in Greater Vancouver.
Heart conditions and stroke are a leading cause of death of women in Canada. That’s why we’re leading the charge to close the gaps in research, diagnosis, and care that put women’s heart and brain health at risk.
One of our flagship initiatives is StrokeGoRed, a $5-million, five-year project uniting more than 50 experts across Canada. At the University of British Columbia, Dr. Lily Zhou is investigating why women often face worse outcomes than men after a stroke. Her work is helping shape a future where women recover faster and live longer.
And that’s just one of 34 Heart & Stroke-funded research projects in British Columbia. At UBC, Dr. Jasmine Grewal is exploring how to reduce the risks of heart conditions during and after pregnancy. Dr. Thalia Field is a stroke neurologist and clinician-researcher leading a study to map brain health risks and protective factors across the lifespan in people with congenital heart disease, with a focus on sex and gender differences.
We’re also working on the ground to improve survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, which affects more than 8,000 people in BC every year. Only 1 in 10 survive. By increasing access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in communities and schools, including the Vancouver School District, we’re aiming to double that number. Heart & Stroke is also engaging the business community and students through programs like its award-winning CardiacCrash Course— interactive, high-energy CPR and AED training.
Donors and partners are the driving force in supporting Heart & Stroke’s mission, empowering us to advance lifesaving efforts and support vital research, awareness, and advocacy initiatives. Our corporate partners play a critical role in amplifying our impact, turning shared values into meaningful change. They not only provide essential resources—they amplify our message and extend our influence, helping to shape healthier futures through shared purpose and collective impact.
Heart disease and stroke continue to rank among the most critical health challenges in Canada. However, thanks to the unwavering generosity of our supporters, Heart & Stroke has made significant strides in our fight to overcome these conditions.
For more than 70 years, Heart & Stroke has been innovating and advocating for better heart and brain health in BC. And we’re just getting started.
Robyn Jones-Murrell is Senior Vice President, Western Canada, for Heart & Stroke. This article is part of our Community Spotlight Series initiative. As part of our mandate to champion and celebrate businesses in the Greater Vancouver region, we, as a non-profit ourselves, want to use our platform to shine a spotlight on our non-profit members. Each quarter, we'll recognize a Vancouver-based non-profit that offers programs and services that improve the social and economic well-being of citizens in our community. This quarter, we're featuring Heart & Stroke.