Michigan CardioVascular Institute Foundation

The Cardiac Care Support Group funded by the Michigan CardioVascular Institute Foundation offers young adults an opportunity to meet informally to discuss their unique needs with medical professionals and others confronting the same issues.

The Michigan CardioVascular Institute Foundation has provided funding for the establishment of a cardiac care support group for young adults in the Tri-Cities. Individuals, approximately 40 years old and younger, are invited to join the group at its first quarterly meeting on February 20, 2008 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at the Michigan CardioVascular Institute (MCVI), 1015 S. Washington Avenue, Saginaw. There is not cost for joining.

Heart disease is often thought of as a disease that affects older people. Yet, more young adults are facing life-changing cardiac health issues than ever before. The Cardiac Care Support Group offers these individuals an opportunity to meet informally to discuss their unique needs with medical professionals and others confronting the same issues.

Virginia Roland, MSN, APRN, BC will join the group to answer questions and to provide information about promising research as well as new and existing treatment options. In practice over 25 years, Roland received her post-graduate Nurse Practitioner degree from the University of Michigan. She is currently director of the MCVI Congestive Heart Failure Clinic and a member of the Michigan Council of Nurse Practitioners, the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, and is a cardiac care associate of the American College of Cardiology.

A single mother of two who suffered a heart attack when only 38 years old, Colleen Fica shares, "While lying in a hospital bed, there are still bills to pay, kids to take care of, a job to do, a household to run, carpools, meetings, games and countless other things that seem like they can't wait. This adds to feelings of helplessness and the stress of being sick."

While the medical care a younger patient receives may not be different from the traditional heart disease patient, their emotional needs and care are very different. A support group designed specifically for these individuals provides a non-judgmental environment in which they can express concerns or fears and share experiences with others who truly understand what they are going through. Family members and those who act as a support network for these patients are encouraged to attend.

The Michigan CardioVascular Institute Foundation is a nonprofit organization striving to create a community that is healthy and vibrant by championing causes related to the education, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular-related disease. The Foundation supports collaborative efforts that seek to strengthen the economic, social and environmental well-being of the communities served by MCVI (Michigan CardioVascular Institute).