Mended Hearts, a national non-profit organization affiliated with the American Heart Association, has been offering the gift of hope to heart disease patients, their families and caregivers for more than 50 years. Recognized for its role in facilitating a positive patient-care experience, Mended Hearts partners with 460 hospitals and rehabilitation clinics and offers services to heart patients through visiting programs, support group meetings, and educational forums. Our mission is to "inspire hope in heart disease, its members draw on personal experience as they help others. Mended Hearts support groups help people understand that there can be a rich, rewarding life after heart disease. Members listen, share their experiences, learn from health care professionals and volunteer to talk to other heart patients about what they may face, including lifestyle changes, depression, recovery and treatment. Annually, Mended Hearts volunteers make 227,000 hospital visits to patients and 30,000 visits to family members and caregivers.
Mended Hearts hosts an annual leadership conference to train volunteers and provide networking opportunities.
Our History
The Mended Hearts was founded in January 1951 by four post-surgery patients who had heart surgery in a Boston Hospital in 1950. When these two men and two women met together, they related their experiences, their new feelings of wellness, expressed their hopes for the future, and of the second chance in life they had each been given with the "Mended Hearts." They wanted to share their experiences with and give supportive encouragement to those about to have heart surgery and to their families.
Surgical techniques were limited back in the 1950's, but the need was ever apparent. As the number of patients increased, so did the Mended Hearts membership. The value of such an organization was recognized by heart patients from other cities, and a constitution and bylaws were adopted.
In the 1960's, coronary artery bypass surgery was developed. As more procedures increased so did the growth in Mended Hearts membership and the number of local chapters. This growth continued through the 1970's. The Headquarters was relocated from Boston to Dallas, Texas.
By the 1980's, the organization was firmly established as an all-volunteer support group for heart surgery patients. Mended Hearts was experiencing extraordinary growth and success, and it still is.
As new diagnostic techniques and new ways to mend a heart are introduced, the network of thoroughly trained Mended Hearts Accredited Visitors are offering support and encouragement to cardiovascular patients and their families. Personal knowledge of the effectiveness of heart programs designed to benefit patients by gathering statistics to aid and further the research of heart disease.
By the 1990's, came further changes in technology and treatment: Nuclear medicine procedures, heart catheterization, heart transplants, improved medical management of heart disease and angioplasty.
Diablo Chapter 254
Diablo Chapter 254 was organized in April 1994 by volunteers. The Chapter has over 100+ members including people who have heart disease, their families, relatives, medical professionals and other interested parties.
The Chapter's Accredited Visitation Volunteers conduct daily heart patient visits at the Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Walnut Creek, CA.