5 heroes of health in 2012

Double-lung transplant recipient Hlne Campbell of Ottawa used her own personal journey to overcome medical challenges to promote the importance of organ donations, making her one of the top five leaders inhealthin 2012.

1. Organ recipient raisesdonation awareness

Campbell, 21,used social media savvy to promote organ donation. Her efforts led to her appearance on the U.S.television program TheEllen DeGeneres Show, and gained the attention of Canadian popstar Justin Bieber on Twitter.

Campbell was diagnosed a year ago with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable and degenerative lung disease. She hadtransplant surgery at Toronto General Hospital in April.

Ontario'sTrillium Gift of Lifecredited Campbell for a spike in organ donation registrations.

2) Toronto doctor's 'magic pill' exercise push

A Toronto doctor's "magic pill" for healthwent viral in early 2012.

A video by Dr. Mike Evansused a simple and light-hearted approach to examine, "What is the single best thing we can do for our health?"

Evansreviewed the medical literature and concluded the answer isgetting at least 30 minutes daily of exercise, mostly walking.

Hesaidcompleting at least ahalf-hour of exercise every dayamounts to amagic pill forarthritis, depression, anxiety,obesity and overall quality of life.

3) NYC mayor'sbattle against large sodas

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's campaign againstlarge sodas and other sugary drinksacted onpublic healthresearch on fighting obesity.

The ban, effectivein March 2013, imposesa 16-ounce(473-millilitre) limit on the size of sweetened drinks sold at restaurants, movie theaters, sports venues and street carts.

Bloomberg's rationale is thatconcentrated sugar, in huge, regular doses, can be considered a threat to public health.

In December,an editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal said Canadian politiciansshould be inspired by Bloomberg's leadership to act.

4) Canadian group fights mental health stigma

The Mental Health Commission of Canada raised awareness of thestigma surrounding mental illnesseswithits final report in May thatcoincided with similar efforts byhospitalsandadvocacygroups.

The commission's 100 priorities and recommendations were grouped intostrategic areas that covered mental health prevention and promotion, access to services, upholding the rights of people with mental illness and fostering their recovery, addressing the needs of specific populations such as seniors and First Nations and remote communities, and improving collaboration among governments and stakeholders.

In October, an Ontario report that was nationally representative suggested that the burden of mental illnessand addictions is more than 1.5 times that of all cancers.

5) Gabrielle Giffords and her recovery

Former Arizona representativeGabrielle Giffords'sstory of recovery from a bullet wound to the head during a mass shooting near Tucson in January 2011illustrated the importance of a trajectory of the bullet and intensive music and speech therapy.

When Giffords resigned her congressional seat in January 2012, she said she wanted to concentrate on herrecovery.

After months of surgeries and therapy, Giffords led the Pledge of Allegiancein September at the Democratic National Convention.

Connie Tomaino, a music therapist in New York who collaborates with Dr. Oliver Sacks on patients with stroke and Parkinson's disease, explains whyGiffords was able to recite the pledge in an interview with CBC News.