Lois Angelisanti hugs Dr. Behzad Soleimani, surgical director of heart transplantation and mechanical circulatory support, at the Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute's Heart Transplant Alumni Reunion. Soleimani performed Angelisanti's heart transplant in 2017.
Patients, physicians and staff reflect on the legacy and impact of the heart transplant program
Among the more than 590 people who have received heart transplants are Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center We gathered to celebrate our 40th anniversary.th Anniversary of the hospital's heart transplant program.
September 17, 2024
The Heart Transplant Reunion at Hershey also provided an opportunity for patients to share their stories and catch up with friends. Many of my friends were people I met while in the hospital. The event was filled with joy and gratitude as participants reflected on their second chance at life.
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center heart transplant program It was founded in 1984 to provide life-saving treatment to patients with end-stage heart failure. Just one year later, the hospital became one of the first in the country to successfully implant an artificial heart, further cementing its position as a pioneer in cardiac care.
“We celebrate 40 extraordinary years of saving lives, 40 years of heartfelt innovation and life-changing milestones.” Dr. Behzad Soleimanidirector of the Pennsylvania State Heart and Vascular Institute. “Everything we have done over the past 40 years, and everything we will do in the coming years, is to give every patient like you hope, a second chance, an improved quality of life, and focuses on giving people the opportunity to enjoy life's simplest pleasures and pleasures.''
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is the only hospital in Pennsylvania outside of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia that performs heart transplant surgeries. More than 94 percent of all patients who receive a heart transplant at the medical center survive at least three years after surgery. According to data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, this is the best three-year post-transplant survival rate in Pennsylvania and nearly 10 percent higher than the national average for transplant centers.
Currently, the medical center's cardiologists, surgeons, nurses, and other dedicated team members provide follow-up care to nearly 200 heart transplant patients across six states, ensuring their continued health. and are monitoring progress.
Among those who addressed the crowd at the patient reunion were Alessandro Sgro, who was a congenital heart patient at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center for 38 years until receiving a new heart less than two years ago; There was also
“Many doctors, nurses and staff helped me on my journey. Together they saved my life and gave me a better future,” Suguro said. “Today I can ride my bike with my daughter in the back seat. I can pull her on a sled or carry her on my shoulder and walk that distance without getting out of breath. It’s a memory I can make with her that I wouldn’t have been able to make before.”
The approximately 45 transplant recipients in attendance come to Hershey from counties across Pennsylvania to live with their new hearts for anywhere from six months to 35 years.
“I am proud of the Heart and Vascular Institute's consistently excellent results,” said Don McKenna, director of Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. “Each year, the data shows that world-class cardiac care is right here in Hershey. And all of you here tonight are proof of that.”
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