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LEADING EDGE
The two women discussed their
experiences, each relating to the
other’s worries and fears. It was this
meeting that sparked the idea to start
a support group and call it “Mended
Hearts.”Nowa nationally recognized
program, Mended Hearts exists to
provide comfort and support for
those with severe heart conditions or
who are going through heart surgery.
Now,MendedHeartshasmore than
300 chapters at 460 hospitals across
the country. Kootenai Health’sMend-
ed Hearts chapter is the only one in
the region. Members attendmonthly
meetings with guest speakers offer-
ing information on issues such as diet
and exercise and other heart-related
topics.
B E C O M I N G A
V O L U N T E E R
In addition to the support and edu-
cation it offers members, Mended
Hearts serves another important
role at Kootenai Health. Members,
all of whom have had cardiac events
themselves, volunteer their time
to meet with patients who have
undergone—or will soon undergo—
a heart procedure or surgery.
“We currently have six core volun-
teers that actually go and visit with
patients, and there are four new
volunteers being trained,” said Joe
Borowski, a Mended Hearts volun-
teer. “It still isn’t enough, though. It
sounds great to have so many vol-
unteers across the country, but the
truth is, the national group does over
200,000 visits each year, but there are
well over 4 million procedures.”
In order to be a volunteer for
the program, potential volunteers
must complete an orientation and
background check. After that, the
volunteer must go on at least three
supervised patient visits with an-
other volunteer before he or she can
go alone.
V O I C E S O F E X P E R I E N C E
“It’s great that we are able to talk to
the patients,” Borowski said. “Since
each of us has been through a similar
situation, we can relate a lot more
than most people—about more than
just the medical situation. There is a
big emotional component that you
don’t realize is there until you expe-
rience it for yourself.
“It’s scary. The idea that they’re
actually going to make your heart
stop is a very scary and emotional
thing,” he said. “I’m a firm believer
in this program; it would be very
hard to go through something like
this alone.”
Borowski knows firsthand the
importance of having a strong sup-
port system. He has been a Mended
Hearts volunteer for 3 ½ years and
has gone through two open-heart
surgeries. His first was in Decem-
ber 2003 and the second was in June
2007.
“I could tell when the second sur-
gery was coming,” he said. “The one
thing about surgery is, afterward you
know you have to make life changes,
exercise, eat right and not smoke.
You do well at first, but it’s easy to
start slipping. Before you know it,
you’re back in your old habits.”
S U P P O R T W H E N
I T ’ S N E E D E D
This is where the support of Mended
Hearts can help. Monthly meetings
provide a support group and re-
minder for participants to continue
to make healthy choices.
If possible, when he’s making
patient visits, Borowski enjoys be-
ing able to talk to both the patient
and the patient’s caregiver before a
surgery.
“We talk for as long as they want;
that can be five minutes or 20,”
Borowski said. “It’s important for the
caregivers to try to understand what
their loved one is going through.
Hopefully I am a good example of
what they have to look forward to
after the surgery.”
“If you go through this, you’re
going to need support, and we’re
here,” he said. “There is life after
heart surgery—it’s what you make
of it that matters.”
S U P P O R T
For more information about
the Mended Hearts group,
visit the Patient Support Services
page on
KootenaiHealth.org
or call
(208) 666-2897
.
Volunteers with the Mended Hearts group
at Kootenai meet with patients monthly
to talk about their experiences and how
to adapt to a more heart-healthy lifestyle.
Shown here are (front, from left) Vern
Quinn, Joe Borowski, Leif Juliussen and
John Edgar and (back, from left) Dan
Drapeau, David Daniel, Albert Wilkerson
and Tom Beaver.
KOO T E NA I
H E A L T H
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