THANK YOU ALL WHO DONATED AND ATTENDED. PLEASE JOIN US NEXT YEAR!
WVU HEART AND VASCULAR INSTITUTE 2019 GALA \ SEPTEMBER 7

Helping Us Advance Our Mission

Established in 2015, the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute has recruited internationally renowned physician leaders in cardiology; cardiac, vascular, and thoracic surgery; and cardiovascular critical care. It has become the state’s preeminent program for quaternary care, providing full access to the most advanced technology and care available.

However, there is more work to be done. We encourage you to become an integral part of the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute’s statewide mission and help their dedicated team connect with patients, and advance efforts to change health outcomes for patients throughout the region and beyond.

We invite you to join us for an evening filled with dining, entertainment, dancing, and live auctions.

How Your Funding Helps Patients

BID FOR GOOD

Patient Access & Assistance Fund

The Patient Access and Assistance Fund is used to support patients and their families who may not be able to afford the cost of travel for essential appointments and treatment.

BID FOR GOOD

Heart Transplant Fund

As a land-grant institution, West Virginia University’s purpose is to help people when it matters most. In a state where heart disease is the leading cause of death, that means making state-of-the-art cardiac care available close to home. Offering heart transplantation here is another huge advancement toward a healthier West Virginia. Currently, there are 22 West Virginia residents on the waiting list for a heart transplant. Those residents generally have to travel out-of-state to receive their transplants.

Last year, WVU Medicine announced plans to start West Virginia’s first heart transplant program at the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute. We continue to recruit nationally and internationally recognized cardiac surgeons and cardiologists that will support the transplant program, in addition to thoracic and vascular surgeons. Additionally, we are recruiting specialized staff and equipping our ten-story WVU Heart and Vascular Institute to be the most state-of-the-art facility in the state. Your funding will help support patients who desperately need heart transplants.

Media Gallery

EMCEE & KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Susan Koeppen

A nationally known, award-winning journalist, Susan Koeppen co-anchors the weeknight editions of KDKA-TV News at 4, 6 and 11. In addition, Susan is KDKA’s consumer reporter and host of “Your Pittsburgh”, the station’s magazine show. Before joining the KDKA news team, Susan was the consumer correspondent for CBS News’ “The Early Show” during her time at CBS.

In 2011, Susan suffered cardiac arrest while training for the Pittsburgh Half Marathon. She received CPR from two medical students who were driving by and firefighters shocked her heart with an AED. Doctors believe severe mitral regurgitation caused by her mitral valve prolapse led to her sudden cardiac event. She had open heart surgery in March 2012 to repair her mitral valve and has fully recovered. Susan is now a national spokesperson for the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, and works closely with the American Heart Association. She has shared her story on several national talk shows such as “The Talk”, “The Doctors”, and “Doctor Radio.” Susan also works as an emcee and speaker at various local and national events.

The WVU Heart and Vascular Institute

The WVU Heart and Vascular Institute team of caregivers is going above and beyond to bring the highest quality and most accessible
heart care to the people of West Virginia and the surrounding region. Why? We believe that nobody should have to travel great distances to find the care they need. Our patients are experiencing positive outcomes that help transform their lives.

We’ve grown our team – the largest and most advanced cardiac and vascular care team in the state – to more than 55 physicians and 70 advance practice providers who are delivering care at hospitals and clinics throughout West Virginia and in bordering counties in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia.

Our board-certified, fellowship-trained doctors are performing groundbreaking and innovative procedures using cutting-edge devices not available anywhere else in the state. The WVU Heart and Vascular Institute was the first in the state to:

• Implant a left ventricular assist device
• Repair a mitral valve through a tiny incision in the chest using the da Vinci® Surgical System
• Implant the Tendyne Bioprosthetic Mitral Valve and the WATCHMAN™ Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device
• Use the MitraClip® device to repair a leaking mitral valve
• Rebuild an aortic valve using the patient’s own heart lining
• Fix a thoracic aortic aneurysm using the Relay PRO implant
• Successfully perform the Protected TAVR
• Implement SMART Mobile Technology clinics
• Become a nationally recognized Center of Excellence for Adult ECMO program
• Be recognized by US News & World Report as High Performing for Abdominal Aneurysm Repair

To learn more about the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute visit www.MyWVUHeart.com