02/13/2026
Today is Wear Red Canada ❤️
We’re proud to share Kathy’s story as a powerful reminder that heart attacks in women can look different and that trusting your instincts and seeking care quickly can make all the difference.
Today, we’re wearing red to support women’s heart health, raise awareness of the signs and symptoms, and keep this important conversation going.
Learn more at cwhha.ca
Tomorrow, February 13, is Wear Red Canada, a day to raise awareness about women’s heart health.
For Kathy Alexander, Executive Director of Bluewater Health Foundation, this is something she knows firsthand. A couple years ago, Kathy experienced a SCAD heart attack, a type that is rare overall, but more common in women, often without traditional risk factors.
What started as a normal day quickly changed. While driving home, she felt sudden pain in her back that travelled down her left arm and felt like pressure pushing into her chest. When the pain returned along with shortness of breath, she knew something wasn’t right. She went to the Emergency Department at Bluewater Health, where she was quickly assessed by Dr. Grochowski and the ED team and later transferred to London. Tests confirmed she had experienced a SCAD heart attack.
Kathy was deeply grateful that she trusted her instincts and sought care when she did.
Heart attack symptoms in women can include chest pressure or tightness, pain in the jaw, neck, arm or back, shortness of breath, nausea or indigestion, dizziness, unusual fatigue, or extreme sweating. Women are also more likely to experience multiple symptoms at once.
Tomorrow, wear red, learn the signs, and help raise awareness about women’s heart health.
Learn more about signs, symptoms, and awareness efforts at cwhha.ca. ❤
