Feb. 8 marked the 18th annual Hearts of Hope fundraising event supporting cardiovascular research across Community Healthcare System. At the ceremony, the Hearts of Hope tree was lit, each light representing a donation made to support cardiovascular research and clinical trials.
“The Hearts of Hope event is held to highlight how we are involved in raising money and researching to provide the most up-to-date cardiovascular care and treatment options for our patients,” said Dr. Anas Safadi, an interventional cardiologist with Community Care Network Inc.
Safadi has been involved in Hearts of Hope for eight years. Community Healthcare System is involved in many national clinical trials such as the CHAMPION-AF trial. This trial was started to test a product called the WATCHMAN FLX, a possible replacement for blood thinners.
“The WATCHMAN FLX device essentially works as a plug to close off the left atrial appendage, which reduces the risk of stroke,” Dr. Safadi said. “Patients then stop the use of blood thinners safely.”
One of the patients who was part of the CHAMPION-AF trial spoke at the event about her experiences before and after having the WATCHMAN device implanted.
“I suffered from atrial fibrillation (A-fib) sporadically for about 10 years,” said Sandy Schoon, a patient of Dr. Safadi. “This clinical trial came up, and they asked me to be a part of it.”
Before taking part in the trial, Schoon originally had an ablation done and still had to be on blood thinners. After having the WATCHMAN successfully implanted last June, she has safely come off blood thinners and has already seen improvements in her day-to-day life.
“The most noticeable change from getting off blood thinners was that my eyes used to be bloodshot every day,” Schoon said. “Now it's not like that anymore.”
Schoon also noted how much relief she and her husband have felt due to the financial strain that has been lifted since taking part in the CHAMPION trial.
“It’s good not to have to be on one more medication,” Schoon said. “Medication can get very expensive, even with being retired and being on supplemental insurance.”
The Hearts of Hope campaign celebrates the success of advanced cardiovascular research. The program helps our skilled physicians find the safest and most affordable treatments for their patients.
“We are able to provide patients with advanced technology and research and give them a high quality of life and treatment options, all while staying within the realm of evidence-based medicine,” Dr. Safadi said.
Community Healthcare System leads the way in cardiovascular care in Northwest Indiana, offering patients with complex heart conditions the same level of expertise and innovative treatment options previously only found at academic medical centers.
To learn more about Community Healthcare System as well as make donations to the Hearts of Hope campaign, visit COMHS.org/HeartsofHope.