Powers Health closed out American Heart Month with Innovative Cardiovascular Procedures: A Hearts of Hope Event. This free event gave attendees an opportunity to learn about the latest innovations in treating heart conditions from leading experts: Interventional Cardiologist Anas Safadi, MD; Electrophysiologist Samer Ajam, MD; and Samer Abbas, MD, Powers Health’s Cardiovascular Service Line Co-Director and Structural Heart and Valve Clinic Medical Director.
The event is part of Powers Health’s annual Hearts of Hope campaign, which raises funds for and awareness of Powers Health’s cardiovascular research and initiatives.
“The annual Hearts of Hope campaign has funded vital cardiovascular research and clinical trials across our system for the past 20 years,” St. Mary Medical Center CEO Janice Ryba said. “The generosity of our donors has directly benefited our friends, neighbors and families right here in Northwest Indiana.”
Powers Health’s experts led a conversation about how the healthcare system treats significant heart issues like atrial fibrillation, heart disease and heart valve disorders. Thanks to continued community support through the Hearts of Hope campaign, Powers Health remains a leader in cardiovascular care throughout the Region.
“All three of our acute care hospitals – Community Hospital, St. Catherine Hospital and St. Mary Medical Center – are accredited Chest Pain Centers, meaning patients are treated and stabilized from the first point of contact – when their chances of recovering are the greatest,” Ryba said. “For this, the American Heart and Stroke associations, American College of Cardiology and The Joint Commission consistently recognize our hospitals for high-quality care.”
Also discussed at the event was Powers Health’s work pioneering the groundbreaking transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR) procedure in the state of Indiana.
“Powers Health continues to bring new, innovative treatments and therapies to our patients,” Ryba said. “Among those is an approach called TTVR. In the fall, 80-year-old Gladys Schliemann of Crown Point became the first patient in Indiana to undergo TTVR, which is a less invasive approach to treating severe tricuspid regurgitation.”
This year, through the generosity of donors from throughout Northwest Indiana, Ryba presented a check worth more than $5,000 for the Hearts of Hope program. This money will support important initiatives, like Powers Health’s frequent screening events supporting vulnerable populations in the communities it serves.
“Our mission is to provide advanced care so that our patients can go home to their families and loved ones with an improved quality of life and renewed hope for the future,” Ryba said. “We are proud of the work we do at Powers Health. We strive to identify cardiovascular disease at its earliest stages through community screenings and education, and we offer a high level of expertise to perform diagnostic testing, cardiac and peripheral interventions, open heart and minimally invasive surgeries.”
While American Heart Month is a wrap for this year, Powers Health’s work supporting its communities is far from over. The healthcare system’s cardiology teams continue to provide high-quality care for the betterment of every patient.
“We thank our many talented and caring cardiologists, electrophysiologists and cardiovascular surgeons. These physicians apply their expertise to improve the quality of life for their patients and to give them hope for a healthier future,” Ryba said.
The Hearts of Hope campaign is ongoing and accepting donations. Those interested in supporting the lifesaving efforts funded with the help of the campaign can fill out an online donation form or call 219-947-6041 for more information.
To learn more about Powers Health, visit powershealth.org.
