Today is Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day. Over a million Canadians are living with heart valve disease. Cardiologists have described this as the next epidemic of heart disease. It is easy to dismiss the symptoms as normal signs of aging, or, in my case, the effect of working 12-hour shifts at Ford Motor Co. But my wife knew it was something more.

I had a physical, including a simple stethoscope check. When the doctor listened to my heart, he heard a murmur. Fortunately, when valve disease is detected early, treatment is effective. Twelve years ago, I had an aorta valve replaced with a mechanical valve. Today, I’m living a normal, healthy life.

Some patients can have valves repaired and, increasingly, the surgery is minimally invasive. Unfortunately, based on a recent Heart Hub survey, only 3% of Canadians over 60 are aware of the most common type of heart valve disease and only 26% of Canadians had a stethoscope check within the past year.

Improving public awareness is critical, and that’s why days like today are important. Later today, I will be introducing a private member’s bill that would proclaim February 22 as Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day, and I’d like to invite all members to join us in room 247 after question period. Cardiologists from around the province are here today, and you can learn more about heart valve disease and get a free stethoscope check. It saved my life. It could save yours.

Today I would like to welcome Heart Valve Voice Canada and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society. As well, I would like to welcome, from the Trial Lawyers Association, Sonia Nijjar.

Heart valve disease is one of the most common heart problems today, affecting over one million Canadians, including one in every eight people over the age of 75. With Ontario’s aging population, the number of people affected is growing. Cardiologists have described this as the next epidemic of heart disease. When left untreated, the mortality rate is up to 50% every year. When it’s detected early, treatments are effective, but the symptoms are often dismissed as a normal sign of aging. A stethoscope check can detect heart murmurs and other sounds that indicate valve disease. That’s why regular scanning is critical, especially for people at high risk. Unfortunately, only a quarter of adults had a stethoscope check in the past year.

By proclaiming Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day and Heart Valve Disease Awareness Week, the bill would help raise awareness of the risk of the symptoms of heart valve disease, and ultimately, it would help to improve the detection and treatment of this condition.