Prevention starts here: Why Marilyn is walking for RedDAY

Marilyn Nijboer thought she had her cholesterol under control until her family doctor ordered an additional blood test.

When the newer test showed a high level of lipoprotein(a) – a genetically determined type of cholesterol that significantly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke – Marilyn’s doctor acted quickly.

She immediately referred Marilyn to the PREVENT Clinic at Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN), a Manulife-powered initiative that offers preventative cardiac care to patients with higher risk of developing heart disease.

At PREVENT, Marilyn met with a nurse practitioner and pharmacist to learn more about Lp(a).

Treatment included new medications, a referral to an endocrinologist (lipid specialist) and a CT heart scan to measure calcified plaque in the arteries of her heart. She also participated in weekly workshops on stress-management, and started a 12-week exercise class alongside other patients living with heart issues.

The power of community

For Marilyn, the community she found at the PREVENT Clinic was a meaningful part of her experience.

“It allowed me to meet other people in similar situations, and learn with them and from them, too,” she says. “Some of them were there for prevention, but some of them were there for cardiac rehab after having heart surgeries. And getting to know those people, it was a real wake-up call for me.”

They had heart attacks; they had heart issues that needed hospital care. And I just knew that any one of those people could have been me.

A family history

Decades ago, Marilyn’s father had a heart attack while in his 40s. He was fortunate, not only to have survived the event, but to go through a rehab program under renowned cardiologist Dr. Terry Kavanaugh, a pioneer of cardiac rehabilitation in Toronto.

Marilyn’s father went from having a cardiac event to running marathons within a few years.

“That’s basically what the PREVENT Clinic is doing now, helping people manage their risk factors to live healthier lives,” she says.

I won’t be running a marathon, but I’m more active than I was before.

Rallying for RedDAY

The PREVENT Clinic was established in 2024 with significant investment from Manulife Canada. Each year since, Manulife has matched community donations on RedDAY – WRHN Foundation’s annual cardiac fundraiser – to further support the clinic.

On Sat. June 6, Manulife and WRHN Foundation are expanding RedDAY with the Manulife RedDAY Walk through the heart of Kitchener-Waterloo.

Marilyn has already registered for the walk and started a fundraising page to support the PREVENT Clinic that helped her manage her own risk of heart disease.

“We are so fortunate to have this donor-funded program in our community and I’m so grateful to Manulife for investing in it,” she says.

We can’t let this go. We need it. We need a program like this in every city.

Join us Sat. June 6 for the Manulife RedDAY Walk in support of preventative cardiac care at WRHN.

Manulife will match donations dollar for dollar, up to $200,000, so every gift – and every step – goes twice as far for high-risk patients in our community.

Story by:

Melissa Couto

Communications Specialist

Let your experience inspire others.

Whether you’re a patient, family member, donor, event participant or proud WRHN staff, sharing your story and connection to Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) is a powerful way to show how donations impact our community in real, tangible ways.

Manulife will match your RedDAY donation dollar for dollar -- up to $200,000 -- for the PREVENT Clinic at WRHN.

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Manulife & Stylized M Design, and Stylized M Design are trademarks of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company and are used by it, and by its affiliates under license.

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Prevention starts here: Why Marilyn is walking for RedDAY

Melissa Couto

Waterloo Regional Health Network Foundation

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