“The Heart and Stroke Foundation is putting new energy behind community-based initiatives that link good science with local programs to make positive healthy lifestyle changes happen at the individual and community level,” said Lucy Buller, CEO, HSFS. “With the support of the School of Public Health, we will be well-positioned to stretch our resources further and really make a difference towards reducing the impact of heart disease and stroke in Saskatchewan.”

The agreement encourages collaboration in areas like health promotion, health education and experiential learning and applied public health research. Examples of activities that students may participate in include delivering workplace wellness presentations to organizations in the city, promoting healthy living to community groups, and researching and developing grant proposals for the HSFS. “Partnerships like this one provide valuable opportunities for our students to gain practical experience in the public health field, and serve an important role in our communities,” said Robert Buckingham, executive director, SPH. “By being involved in the community, students get a firsthand sense of how their work makes a difference in people’s lives. This improves their academic experience at the U of S.”

The SPH, which experienced an increase in registration of over 400 per cent from 2009-2010 to 2010-2011, offers innovative opportunities for graduate education, community service, public health research and programming. HSFS is a volunteer-based health charity that leads in eliminating heart disease and stroke and reducing their impact through the advancement of research and its application, the promotion of healthy living and advocacy.

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For more information, contact:

Erica Schindel, School of Public Health
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-2663
Email: erica.schindel@usask.ca
Visit usask.ca/sph for more.

Rhae Ann Bromley
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan
Tel: 1-888-473-4636
Email: bromleyra@hsf.sk.ca
Visit heartandstroke.sk.ca for more.