Hendrick Health celebrates heart recovery patients with reunion

On Friday, Feb. 21, Hendrick Health hosted a reunion for heart attack and heart failure survivors who were treated with.an Impella, the world’s smallest heart pump.

During the gathering at Hendrick Medical Center, the patients had the opportunity to reunite with their Hendrick Health physicians, nurses, therapists and other medical team members. The reunion recognizes the strength of the patients and the dedication of Hendrick Cardiovascular Care to providing care with leading-edge technology.

The reunion follows the inaugural National Heart Recovery Awareness Day, recognized on Feb. 20. To date, more than 330,000 heart patients worldwide who have recovered were treated with the Impella, created by Abiomed, part of Johnson & Johnson MedTech.

Impella devices assist the heart’s pumping function, allowing the heart to rest and recover by temporarily delivering blood and oxygen throughout the body. Hendrick Health’s cardiologists use the pump to support patients experiencing heart failure or a heart attack. Impella provides a less-invasive procedure than heart surgery and can offer better outcomes with quicker recovery times.