Understanding the body and disease process Heart & Vessels

The heart is the hardest working muscle in the human body and pumps more than 8500 litres of blood every day. The cardiovascular system is made up of the heart, major blood vessels and fine arteries that deliver blood to every part of our body.

Doctor and patient Surgeons
  1. 1944

    After his release from Germany, Miller Fisher returned to Canada to complete neurological studies under the famed Dr. Wilder Penfield at the Montreal Neurological Institute

  2. 1947

    Wilfred Bigelow was appointed to the Director of the Cardiovascular Laboratory at the Banting Research Institute

  3. 1947

    William T. Mustard joined the Hospital for Sick Children

  4. 1950

  5. 1950

    Wilfred Bigelow conceived the idea of cooling the body into a hypothermic state before surgery to reduce the amount of oxygen needed

  6. 1957

    Having already established the first Division of Cardiac Surgery in Toronto in 1947, Dr. Bigelow continued to innovate

  7. 1957

    Quebec’s first experiments in open heart surgeries were conducted at the MHI

  8. 1960

  9. 1978

    Dr. Naranjan Dhalla led the first Centre of Excellence in Heart Research to be funded by the Medical Research Council of Canada

  10. 1984

    The Canadian Journal of Cardiology was created through the efforts of Dr. Dhalla and Dr. Robert Beamish

  11. 1990

  12. 1992

    Dr. Yusuf moved to McMaster University, where he established an international program of research in cardiovascular disease and prevention, culminating in the creation of the Population Health…

  13. 1996

    The Institute of Cardiovascular Science at Saint-Boniface Hospital, Winnipeg, was created

  14. 2000

  15. 2010

  16. 2020

About the CMHF

The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame (CMHF) celebrates Canadian heroes whose work advances health in Canada and the world, fostering future generations of health professionals through the delivery of local and national youth education programs and awards.

This enduring tribute to our country’s rich medical history is showcased here and in our physical exhibit hall in London, ON