A Typical Heart
Documentary
A documentary exploring the deadly disparity between male and female heart disease, through the lens of healthcare professionals, researchers, patients, and their families.
PROJECT INFO
Heart disease is the leading cause of premature death among women. Yet 53% of early heart-attack symptoms in women are missed. More women have been dying of heart disease than men since the 1980s, but it’s still thought of as a man’s disease. Paramedics are taught to look for the “atypical symptoms” of women’s heart attack: like nausea, abdominal/neck/back pain. But why are these symptoms called “atypical” when women are more than half the population? This gender gap affects thousands of women. How did we get here? And how do we fix it?
A Typical Heart follows the story of multiple women who have been misdiagnosed and under-treated with various forms of heart disease. Leading experts in the field help shed light on why, and what needs to change in the medical community and society regarding women’s heart health.
Additional Resources
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Released: 2019
Runtime: 22m
Language: English
A Typical Heart is made possible with a STORYHIVE grant from TELUS Optik Local and is available for free on demand on TELUS Optik TV.
CREDITS
Directed by Chris Beauchamp, Laura Beauchamp
Produced by Cristina D’Alessandro, Laura Beauchamp, Chris Beauchamp
Written by Cristina D’Alessandro, Chris Beauchamp
Edited by Gordie Haakstad
Original Music by Chris McIntyre
Cinematography by Chris Beauchamp, Laura Beauchamp
Production Manager Sarah Card
National Screen Institute Mentor Connie Edwards
Medical Consultant Dr. Ed O’Brien
Interviewers Chris Beauchamp, Cristina D’Alessandro
Illustrator Robin Sissons
Motion Graphics Gordie Haakstad
Post-Production Sound Chris McIntyre
Additional Cinematography by Bryan Harris
Los Angeles Camera Assistant Ryan McBay
Production Sound Laura Beauchamp
Sound Assistant James Beauchamp
Still Photography Beauchamp Photography
NSI Project Managers Elise Swerhone, Shelly Quade
STORYHIVE Project Manager Kristy Assu
Featuring
Heather Evans
Karyna Parsons
Grace Dierssen
Laurie Blakely
Zamira Vicenzino
Cynthia Culhane
Carolyn Thomas
Christina Stuwe
Dr. Noel Bairey-Merz
Dr. Jacqueline Saw
Dr. Tara Sedlak
Dr. Kara Nerenberg
Dr. Doreen Rabi
Dr. Bobby Heydari
Dr. Ed O’Brien
Donna Hastings
Cristina D’Alessandro
Special Thanks
Our STORYHIVE Pitch Supporters
Connie Edwards, Kelly Johnston, Rusty McColl, Skyler Evans, Patrice Lindsay, Anita Pieterse, Dominique Mongeon, Austin Headley, Donna Hastings, Shaun Cathcart, Smita Acharyya, Sally Stewart, Ava Karvonen, Davide D’Alessandro, Byron A. Martin, The D’Alessandro Family, Vj Bala, Emily Glazer, Anna Rybalko, Tania Stirpe, Dr. Sharon Mulvagh, Shirley Zhu, Emmanuel Evdemon, Rose Lopetrone, Ellen Ross, Anne Guilfoyle, Suzan Bianchi, Rebecca Graham, Towagh Behr, Dawn Smith, Linda Ellis, Milada Pajevic, Tiffany Akins, Trish Merrithew-Mercredi, Ernie Urdal, Andrew Busch, Ashkan Parsa, Ashleigh Brabbins, Grace Ehrlich, Howard Paje, Joanne Gamache, Katie Kim, Lucie Gravelle, Naomi Robinson, Satwant Grewal, Mike Bourree, Lily Monette, Ken Schoepp, Amanda Frayn, Rob Barone, Dale Miller, Ira Parsons, Danny Murphy, Kate B. Parsons, Felicity K. Parsons, Claire Parsons, Landon Culhane, Sven Stuwe, Memphis Stuwe, Maureen Gardin, Suzanne Bell, Cloe Cameron, Carolyn Parkes, Mathew Mosveen, Liam Uganecz, Justin Lam, Ber Gulbrandsen, Karen Evans, Pat Johnson, Eileen Pepler, Robin Stone, Cini John, Yong-Xiang Chen, Catherine Diao, Nadia Maarouf, Jingti Deng, Samantha Toker, Raj Sharma, Jacqueline Flewitt, Patricia Feuchter, David Patchell-Evans, Laurie Irwin, Robin Sissons, Graham Beauchamp, Kelli Thachuk, Dean Thachuk, Lorraine Shack, Heath Gerhardt, Alexa Gerhardt, Liam Gerhardt, Jim Gerhardt, Linda Gerhardt, Julie Gerhardt, Terry Scerbak, Sheila Briody, Petra Tribo, John Tribo, Donna Guptell
Additional Special Thanks
Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada
Vancouver General Hospital
Leslie Diamond Women’s Heart Health Clinic
University of Calgary
Cumming School of Medicine
Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta
GoodLife Fitness Calgary South Pointe
York Region Paramedic Services
Toastmasters International – Rise and Shine Club #331
Bean Around the World, Victoria BC
Penny Farthing Public House, Victoria BC
Grande Prairie Regional EMS Foundation
