Top 10 Heart Valve Stories of 2016!
By Adam Pick on December 31, 2016
Yay!!! 2016 was another AMAZING year for our community!!!
The past 12 months was full of patient education and patient empowerment. So, as we enter 2017… Let’s look back at the stories that inspired and connected us.
10. Your Smiling Patient Photos Get 37,798 Likes!
This year, we tried something new. Every so often… We’d post patient pictures – from the hospital – to encourage patients, support patients and acknowledge patients for their will and resolve to get healthy while overcoming the common fears of heart surgery. We quickly realized that our community LIKED (pun intended) seeing the members within it. For example, Jeanette got 7,700 Facebook Likes, Craig got another 7,000 Likes, and Ryan got 6,400 Likes. It is sooooooooo amazing to see your real-time support of each other! Keep it up!!!
9. Little Leilani, Our Heart Warrior Princess
In May, we were all touched by the story of Little Leilani. Even though Leilani has yet to learn how to talk (she recently turned 2), she is inspiring the world with her courage.
8. After MitraClip, Charlotte Walks Again!
“Cute” is a definitive understatement when I describe Charlotte Cummings. This fun 81-year old MitraClip patient received over 2,000 Facebook Likes as she shared her inspirational story with our community!
7. Chicago Bulls Coach, Fred Hoiberg, Gets A HUGE Response After Opening Up About Heart Surgery
I never in a million years (actually make that a zillion years) thought that I would be able to meet and interview Fred Hoiberg, the Coach of the Chicago Bulls. So, when the chance came up… I jumped on it. In the process, I learned a bunch about Coach Hoiberg and the reasons he selected the On-X mechanical valve. So far, this video has been played back over 5,243 times at our YouTube channel, that’s more than 27,525 minutes of educational and inspirational playback time. Thanks Fred!
5 & 6. FDA Approvals for Perceval & Trifecta GT Spark Patient Interest
That’s right… In the 5th and 6th spot, we have a tie!!! As you are probably aware, medical technology is increasing at a very fast rate. When our community hears about the latest advances in valve therapy, the patients want to learn more. During 2016, the FDA approval of Perceval, the sutureless heart valve, and the FDA Approval of the Trifecta GT generated over 5,000 social shares combined. Amazing!!!
4. OMG! Our Facebook Page Adds 158,000 Members!
Are you kidding me? No way? Come on? Really? Yep. That’s right. Last year, our Facebook page increased by 158K members. Unbelievable. Unexpected. But… Absolutely wonderful!!!! Thanks so much to all of the new members and to our sponsors for helping us find patients that want to get and stay… Heart Healthy!!! Wanna join the HVS Facebook page? Click here.
3. Patient Day 2016 Inspires Community, Community & More Community!
What could be better than bringing together 100 patients and caregivers together to learn from each and to share their experiences? In my opinion, not much. So… Thanks to Edwards Lifesciences for creating, hosting and sponsoring this memorable event that inspired our community all over the world! Learn more about Patient Day here.
2. Steve’s Photo Gets 13,000 Facebook Likes!
When it comes to cliches, my wife, Robyn, knows them all. When it comes to the cliche, “A Picture is worth 1,000 words”, I think we may need to edit it considering what happened on August 7. Perhaps that cliche should now read, “An awesome post-op picture of Steve is worth… 13,000 Facebook Likes.” That’s right, Steve’s picture inspired over 13,000 Facebook Likes and appeared in 108,887 news feed streams in Facebook alone!
1. The “Advances in Transcatheter Heart Valve Therapy” Webinar eBook Gets Over 15,000 Downloads!!!
I still can’t believe what happened when we posted our new Webinar eBook about the latest advances in transcatheter heart valve devices on November 16th. This eBook was gobbled up by our community — with over 15,000 downloads. Thanks again to Dr. McCarthy, Dr. Davidson and Dr. Malaisrie from Northwestern Medicine for hosting this live webinar that we transformed into a FREE eBook.
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
As 2016 concludes, I want to extend an extraordinary thanks to all members of this community – the patients, the families, the friends, the caregivers, the doctors, the nurses, the clinic coordinators, the cardiac centers and, of course, our sponsors. Your support of HeartValveSurgery.com continues to touch, move and inspire me!!!
Keep on tickin’ and… Happy New Year!
Adam
Written by Adam Pick
- Patient & Website Founder
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Dr. Doolabh is a leading cardiac surgeon at UT Southwestern who specializes in minimally-invasive heart valve surgery.
