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February is American Heart Month
02/01/2012
News
Did you know that heart disease continues to take the lives of more men and women than any other disease?
According to the CDC, one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, equal to 2,200 deaths per day.
HelpHOPELive was founded in 1983 as the National Heart Assist and Transplant Fund to help end-stage heart disease patients with funding for heart transplantation. At the time, the procedure was considered experimental and often not covered by insurance.
Founders Dr. Jack Kolff, a pioneer in the field of cardiac transplantation, and his wife Patricia Kolff, BSN, saw that many patients were being denied eligibility for transplantation because they lacked the financial means to afford it. The Kolffs had a vision that all patients could afford the lifesaving treatment by looking to their neighbors to raise funds and awareness.
The Kolffs' vision lives on through the work of HelpHOPELive, as we continue to make transplantation possible for those in need of treatment through community-based fundraising. The mission has evolved over time, on pace with the demand for our services from other patient groups: see current mission. See the impact we've made since our start.
Today heart transplantation is the treatment of choice for many end-stage heart disease patients. More than 2,135 heart transplants were performed in the U.S. last year alone. Five-year survival rates for recipients have increased recently to 73.1 percent for males and 67.4 percent for females. No longer considered experimental, the surgery is often at least partially covered by insurance. Patients and families now look to us to help raise funds for transplant-related expenses, such as insurance co-pays, medical travel/relocation and medications.
See what you can do to improve your heart health and raise awareness about heart disease, visit: www.heart.org.
