Purchase A Raffel Ticket!!!

Hurry!!! There is only 1 day left to WIN!

Once again we are offering an opportunity for MHI members to WIN a free trip to National Convention!

The drawing will be held on Friday, April 20, 2012.

Winners will be announced Friday evening via email and will also be notified by telephone.

Top Prize includes:

Round-trip air fare to Dallas, TX up to $400 air fare.

Registration and Convention meals (valued at $275) with five nights stay at convention hotel (valued at $625).

Second Place includes:

5 nights hotel stay at Hyatt Regency Dallas valued at $625

Third Place includes:

MHI registration and meals valued at $275

Raffle tickets are $10 each or three-for-$25.  We accept credit cards for immediate purchases!

For raffle tickets call Tierney Wright at 214-296-9252 or Marti Samples at 214-666-4210

Don’t miss your chance to be a part of history at the 60th Anniversary National Convention!!!

Meet Jim Bushnell – National Convention Master of Ceremonies

We talked  Jim Bushnell, President of Dallas chapter 30 and this year’s National Convention MC. Since the MC is a very important part of keeping things moving at convention, we caught up with Jim to ask him about his plans and what he hopes to bring to this year’s convention in this role.

MHI: What do you hope to bring to the convention this year as MC for MHI’s 60^th year anniversary?

Jim: A warm, friendly, “Texas Howdy” to all the MHI Convention attendees and guests.  YEE-HAW!

MHI: What are you most excited about this year as it relates to convention?

Jim: I’m most excited to hear feedback from “first timers” about their MHI Convention experience.  If they come away with a really positive feeling and enthusiasm about what they experienced at this year’s convention, and communicate those feelings back to their chapter members who were unable to attend, then I’ll feel it was a job well done.

MHI: How did you feel when you were asked to MC?

Jim: Surprised, flattered, and with a few questions that needed to be answered before I would feel comfortable in the role.  Apparently I got the answers I needed, because I’ll be the MC.  Now, if I can just not mispronounce anyone’s name when I introduce them, tell a few funny jokes, and recall any other MC-related duties/responsibilities, I’ll be fine.

MHI:  How do you feel about the convention coming to Dallas after all these years?

Jim:  As the current President of Dallas Chapter 30, I’m thrilled to have it in our own backyard, and to join the other metroplex MH chapters; Plano, Arlington and Ft. Worth in welcoming everyone to Big D.  Fingers crossed on the weather…mid-May should be OK on heat, and I hope the rain that might occur then holds off.  The hotel, tours, and food will be great.  The people in Dallas, and surrounding cities, are always the BEST.

MHI: Anything else you’d like to add about your experience or the convention?

Jim: I look forward to meeting our new Executive Director, Karen Caruth, and hearing her plans for leading Mended Hearts, Inc. into the future.  I welcome the opportunity to renew friendships developed during past MHI conventions.  And, I know the guest speakers will be fabulous and very informative as always.  Sixty years as a national, non-profit organization is a tremendous milestone…we deserve to celebrate!!

Social Media Can Make a Difference

Facebook? Twitter? What the heck is that??!!

If you are a late adopter of social media then you will not want to miss this new workshop at this year’s convention!

“Social Media Can Make a Difference” is an informative workshop that will equip you with plain and simple techniques for operating social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. Learn how to manage and promote your chapter events and activities; and connect with other Mended Hearts members.

Author, speaker and social media consultant J.R. Atkins of Something Different Companies will be offering his expert advice on how you can become a social media sensation! J.R. will teach you the essentials to utilizing social media sites successfully. He will also be available to answer your questions about social media!

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn and connect (online) with others!

Registration now available online: http://www.mendedhearts.org/convention.htm

J.R. Atkins

Visit the Three-Million Square Feet Cowboys Home – Everything’s Bigger In Texas!

 

Did you know the Dallas Cowboy Stadium is the largest NFL venue ever built??!!

While in Dallas for this year’s convention, you will have the opportunity to tour this state-of-the-art three million square feet stadium, with the world’s longest single-span roof structure.

The tour begins at the Main Club, with stops at the private suites, radio/print media press boxes, Cotton Bowl offices, Dr. Pepper Star Bar and the Ford Motor Company Fountain.  After perusing these areas, your guide will escort you to the event level where all the magic happens! You will visit the Miller Lite Club, the post-game interview room and both the Cowboys and the Cowboys Cheerleader’s locker rooms.  At the conclusion of the tour, you will have a chance to live out your childhood dreams! The tour ends with an opportunity to throw passes, run around and take pictures on the field. There is even a photographer at midfield so that you may take a picture on the famous Dallas Cowboys star! Don’t miss this opportunity to tour the Dallas Cowboys Stadium with your Mended Hearts comrades!

Register to attend convention today and sign up for the Dallas Cowboys Stadium tour! http://www.mendedhearts.org/convention.htm

National Convention Underway In Dallas

The 2012 Mended Hearts Convention is in full swing! This year Mended Hearts will be celebrating its 60 year anniversary in Dallas! “The First 60 Years – Our Foundation for the Future”, acknowledges the strong foundation we’ve built that will ensure a bright future for us to continue to expand our mission.

This year’s western –themed convention focuses on education and leadership and boasts a variety of new workshops and seminars that members may participate in, learn from and take back to share with their chapters.

Additionally, we have invited several dynamic national speakers to encourage and educate our membership to help them flourish and reach their full potential in continuing our mission to inspire hope and improve the quality of life for heart patients and their families.

Check back each week for convention updates and information. Registration is now available online.

www.mendedhearts.org

The Clinical Trial Experience – Part 3

If you have never participated in a clinical trial, you may have questions and concerns about what to expect. The length of time and activities expected from research subjects can vary drastically depending on the nature of the study. Potential research subjects may or may not be aware of the benefits of their participation in the clinical trial process.  However, involvement cannot only impact the outcome of your own health, but the level of care received by others being treated for similar heart conditions. Although these trials differ in a number of ways, there are a few things research subjects for almost all clinical trials can expect.

As a potential participant in a clinical trial, you should expect to:

• Be screened (sometimes initially by phone) to make sure that you qualify for the study. Screening can also involve a physical exam that may include blood and urine analysis, a heart trace (electrocardiogram), and other diagnostic tests required by the study protocol. It is important to note that information obtained during the screening process is kept confidential.

• Sign an informed consent document. The site staff will also ask you to review and sign an informed consent document which ensures that research subjects are aware of the risks associated with participating in the study. If you are eligible to become a research volunteer for the study, the staff will provide you with specific instructions for participating. At this stage a staff member can answer additional questions that you may have about the participation process.

Once you are enrolled, the clinical trial team will check your health at the beginning of the study, give you specific instructions for participating, monitor you carefully throughout the trial and will likely follow up to check your status after the study is complete. Some studies can be more involved than others and require more tests and doctor visits than normal. If you would like to learn more about what to expect as a clinical trial participant, you can visit ClinicalTrials.gov and/or CenterWatch.com.

Dignity Health has more than 40 hospitals and medical centers throughout Arizona, California and Nevada. Residents in these states, who are interested in learning more about Dignity Health’s services, including our research programs, can visit www.DignityHealth.org to locate hospitals and/or clinical trials in their area.

Ann Campbell, R.N., is the Program Manager for Cardiovascular Research at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center— a Dignity Health Member —in Gilbert, Ariz.

Finding the Right Clinical Trial – Part 2

At any given time, there are a variety of incredibly diverse clinical trials underway throughout the country. In order for these studies to be successful, recruiters for clinical trials need to enlist a number of qualified subjects in order to evaluate the effects of therapies such as medications, devices and/or behaviors.

Research subjects who participate in clinical trials receive careful medical attention including examinations and tests at no cost.  In some cases, they may even be reimbursed for time, travel and other expenses. It is important to know that participation is not without risks. There are risks and possible side effects specific to every clinical trial. These risks should always be listed in the informed consent form and will be discussed with the research team before you enter the trial. However, for your safety, there are other precautions that you might want to take before signing on to participate in a clinical trial.

Before you become a research volunteer…

Talk to your doctor. While online resources are tremendously helpful, I want to emphasize the importance of talking to your healthcare provider about information on clinical trials. Many of the volunteers who participate in the research studies that are conducted throughout Dignity Health hospitals are referred by medical staff members of affiliated institutions. Your healthcare provider or treatment facility may prove to be a valuable resource in your journey to finding the right study.

Pay attention to the study enrollment criteria. If you don’t fit all the necessary criteria you will not be considered for the study. It is important to note that these criteria are not used to reject people personally, but instead, are used to identify appropriate participants and ensure that researchers can answer the questions they plan to study. If you are unsure about any of the criteria, speak with your doctor or contact the clinical trial team member that is listed as part of the trial information.

How to find research trials in your area?

Research sites promote their studies to the public through a number of ways. If you know where to look, you may be able to find relevant clinical trials in your area. Below are a few websites you can visit to locate studies in your area that you may qualify for as you consider becoming a research participant.

• CenterWatch.com sponsors a free Patient Notification Service that automatically emails subscribers as soon as a clinical trial is posted that matches their medical condition and geographic area.

• ClinicalTrials.gov is another valuable resource where those interested in volunteering for clinical trials can search an extensive database based on several criteria, including location and disease.

Identifying the right clinical trial can be both educational and rewarding. So you may be asking “what happens once I’m enrolled in a trial?” Stay tuned for my next post where I’ll provide an overview of the participation experience.

Mended Hearts wants to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments here about your own experiences as a research participant!

Ann Campbell, R.N., is the Program Manager for Cardiovascular Research at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center— a Dignity Health Member —in Gilbert, Ariz.