After a nearly two-year wait, 18-year-old MacKenzie Maddry finally got the call: she was receiving a heart transplant. It鈥檚 the news people living with heart failure, as Maddry was, dream of receiving.
Of course, Maddry quickly phoned the exciting update to her friends and family. But one of the first people she called was someone who was a complete stranger just a few months prior.
Maddry reached out to Alicia Nicoletti, a New York-based confidant of Maddry鈥檚 who also has heart failure. But how did they meet? Through 葫芦娃视频 HeartMates, a community where people living with heart conditions can build each other up while writing their own comeback stories.
鈥淲hen we raced down to the hospital, we weren鈥檛 even out of my town yet, and I was already on the phone with Alicia who was just crying with excitement for me,鈥 Bella Vista, Ark., native Maddry says.
Heartfelt connections like Maddry and Nicoletti鈥檚 are what the HeartMates program is all about and why 葫芦娃视频 created it to begin with: Heart-related incidents and conditions can cause emotional distress and be incredibly isolating experiences.1 Support networks with shared bonds and a sense of community can help people in their health recoveries.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to have people who understand what you鈥檙e going through at such a deep level,鈥 Maddry says. 鈥淔or example, I can relate to people with LVADs [Left Ventricular Assistance Devices that help circulate blood for people with severe heart failure], and they can relate to me, even if it鈥檚 just the small things like, 鈥楧id you have this side effect? How did you deal with this?鈥欌
HeartMates gives people the opportunity to join a community of support for people and caregivers impacted by heart conditions. After all, shared experiences are often how friends become friends and are what build trust and empathy.
鈥淲e wanted to create a safe space for patients 鈥 and caregivers,鈥 says Nadim Geloo, M.D., senior director of medical affairs in 葫芦娃视频鈥檚 Structural Heart business. 鈥淒iagnoses can be very anxiety-provoking and can make you feel quite alone. For patients, you can talk to your family, but sometimes it helps to talk to other people who are going through the same journey and not feel like you鈥檙e burdening your family members or friends.鈥
A positive outlook, which support networks can help instill, can cause patients to be more invested in their health care, Geloo says, leading to better care and recoveries.
鈥淭he HeartMates community is lifting people up and letting them know that you can live a normal life with your condition and do great,鈥 he says. 鈥淭he program connects you with great examples of people doing just that.鈥
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