“I felt numb. I was in shock,” said Andres Escobar after learning that one of the main arteries in his heart was 99% blocked.

It was May 12, 2025, and Andres, 52, an active, healthy father who walked every day and enjoyed golfing, suddenly found he could barely walk 200 metres from his house without stopping. Even a few minutes on his stationary bike brought on tightness in his chest. He knew something was wrong.

On Friday, May 30, he went to SHN’s Centenary Hospital for an echocardiogram, a test that checks how well the heart is pumping. The results didn’t go well, and the staff insisted he stay for an angiogram, a minimally invasive procedure that identifies blockages in the heart arteries.

“The cath lab itself felt old and dark. The spaces weren’t very welcoming,” he says. “But from the moment I arrived, the care team brought brightness. I was nervous, but they made me feel calm. They literally held my hand.”

In the cardiac cath lab, interventional cardiologist Dr. Shane Parfrey performed the procedure, inserting a thin wire through his wrist to access the arteries. They discovered the 99% blockage along with several others that were 50–60% blocked.

“I was stunned, and all I could think about was my wife and what my teenagers would think. I didn’t want them to worry,” Andres says.

Dr. Parfrey immediately placed stents to restore blood flow and prevent a major heart attack.

“I was so relieved I didn’t have to travel far since I live in Scarborough, and that I didn’t need open-heart surgery,” he says.

By Saturday morning, Andres was home with his family, and by Monday, he was back at work. He then participated in SHN’s award-winning cardiac rehabilitation program, attending once a week for six months. The program combined supervised exercise, nutrition counselling with a dietitian, education, and group support.

“Going every week, meeting with the dietitian, exercising and learning about my heart — the group made me feel supported every step of the way,” he recalls.

Reflecting on his experience, Andres is deeply grateful. “SHN saved my life. If I had let it go on further, it would have led to a major cardiac event. The care team, the speed of treatment, and the support during rehab truly made all the difference," he says.

The care he received inspired Andres to donate to support cardiac care at SHN.

His story is one of many. As the designated cardiac centre for the Scarborough-Durham region, SHN treats approximately 85 heart attack patients every month. Nearly 50 of those cases are “Code STEMI” heart attacks — the most severe type, where a coronary artery is completely blocked and every minute can mean the difference between life and death. SHN's cardiac program also supports more than 40,000 outpatient cardiac visits annually and performs more than 5,500 catheterization (cath) and electrophysiology (EP) procedures each year.

“Nearly a quarter of those living in Scarborough are South Asian and we know this community is more likely to face heart disease,” says Dr. Amir Janmohamed, SHN’s Chief of Cardiology. “Yet for so long, Scarborough has been overlooked.”

Despite delivering high volumes of specialized care, SHN continues to face the challenges of aging infrastructure. Cardiac care has become a key fundraising priority through SHN Foundation’s Love, Scarborough campaign, which has raised more than $200 million since launching publicly in 2022.

With donor support, SHN plans to build a new cath and EP lab and fully renovate three existing labs at Centenary Hospital. The project will introduce the GE Allia IGS 7 Pulse imaging system, making SHN one of the first hospitals in Canada to adopt the technology. The advanced system improves image quality while reducing radiation exposure for patients and staff by 50 per cent. Donor support will also fund RAMPART protection systems, which shield staff from 95 per cent of scattered radiation.

The need is urgent. Demand for cardiac care is expected to increase by 20 per cent over the next five years, driven by population growth in Durham Region and the high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in Scarborough, including one of North America's largest dialysis programs. Once complete, the expanded program will increase capacity for cardiac ablation procedures by 60 per cent, helping more patients receive timely treatment for heart rhythm disorders.

“We have done so much with so little,” says Dr. Janmohamed. “Imagine what we could do if we had the resources we need. The generous support from donors will make it possible for SHN to have the most state-of-the-art cath labs and EP labs in Ontario.”