February 28, 2005

3-Year-Old with Heart Disease Leads 5,000 in American Heart Association Heart Walk

FORT LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, FL--At three weeks old Alexis Calderon was unresponsive to her mother’s touch. Her hands and feet were always cold and she did not eat. Doctors called her a “lazy baby.” A rushed trip to the emergency room after she stopped breathing proved how wrong that earlier diagnosis was. The real culprit—a heart problem called coarctation of the aorta—was identified as the cause of the baby’s symptoms. “Alexis’s main artery to her heart was kinked like a garden hose,” explained her mother, Jennifer Bautista.

Thousands of babies are born each year with congenital heart defects. Thanks to new technologies, Alexis, who had four surgical procedures—including open heart surgery—before her first birthday, is now a healthy three-year-old. To support continual research, Alexis and her family will join thousands on March 5 in this year’s Heart Walk at Nova Southeastern University in Davie.

The event, which starts at 8:00 a.m., benefits the American Heart Association, the largest voluntary health organization working to prevent, defeat and treat heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. The Heart Walk, which averages 5000 participants throughout South Florida, is an annual event coordinated to raise funds in an effort to increase awareness regarding the risks of heart disease.

NSU plans to raise $25,000 and have more than 300 students and employees participate in the walk this year. NSU is the highest company team participating from Broward County, announced Mia Widmar, a Heart Walk representative.

In addition to supporting the Heart Walk, NSU contributes to the research and education of heart disease through its advanced technological learning environment. Specifically, NSU was one of the first colleges equipped with “HARVEY,” a life-sized Cardiology Patient Simulator.

HARVEY is a mannequin that was created to help medical physicians and students diagnose various cardiac illnesses. The cardiac simulator mimics symptoms of more than 27 heart disorders, one of which is coarctation of the heart—the same disease Alexis suffered from. Through innovations like HARVEY, NSU is preparing the next generation of doctors to be more proficient in recognizing heart disorders, which is hoped to limit the number of “lazy baby” misdiagnoses.

Funds raised from the Heart Walk are used to conduct research, educate professionals and inform the public about cardiac disease. Medical discoveries and HARVEY-type advances in cardiac treatment result from these donations.

Even though the road to recovery has not been easy to endure, knowing that Alexis is still alive because of the modern advances in medicine far out-weighs the other alternative, said her mother. Cardiovascular diseases rank as America’s number one killer, but gratefully Alexis and her family were able to overcome those statistics.

“It’s phenomenal!” said Maria Arias, grandmother of Alexis and public safety officer for NSU. “My granddaughter wouldn’t be alive without the progress that has been made in the treatment of cardiovascular illnesses. A lot of those advancements are a result of the money raised at the Heart Walk.”

The number of people who are physically or emotionally affected by heart diseases is growing. The NSU family is just one organization who recognizes the need to increase awareness and promote further research regarding this issue.

As host of the Heart Walk, NSU openly encourages the efforts and influences of the American Heart Association. Step by step, every person can make a difference in the fight against heart disease.

The Heart Walk will take place at Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Davie, Florida from 8-11:00 a.m.