As the new President of Hypertension Canada since October 2013, it is my privilege to update our membership on the impact that the organization has had in 2013, and what lies ahead for us. It also provides me the opportunity to thank all our members, particularly those who have been very active in the affairs of the organization, for their contribution to Hypertension Canada in 2013.

Hypertension Canada has continued to blaze a path towards its vision of Canadians having the healthiest and best-managed blood pressure in the world. We have continued to make strong contributions in the science and knowledge generation hypertension arena, while clearly maintaining our leadership position in the transfer of knowledge and implementation of advances in the primary and secondary prevention of vascular disease. We also continue our advocacy efforts with both government and the private sector in order to improve outcomes for our patients and the population at large.

This past year, the Board has focused much effort on establishing the foundations for successful future fundraising for the organization as we continue to focus on the knowledge transfer and implementation activities proposed in the strategic plan. Here are a few noteworthy examples: a national hypertension screening program with Loblaw, the development of our online medical education platform and increasing public awareness of hypertension and how patients can play a greater role in managing their blood pressure.