Community's Hearts of Hope backs local cardiovascular research

Community Healthcare System is shedding light on heart health through its Hearts of Hope program and annual tree-lighting ceremony during February's National Heart Month.

In its sixth year, Hearts of Hope not only supports cardiovascular research but also provides region residents with the opportunity to honor or remember an individual affected by heart disease through  donations.

With all funds going to support research trials and studies on heart disease, community members can donate $5 to pay tribute to a family member or friend or $15, which includes a Hearts of Hope lapel pin for the honored individual. All honorees will be notified that a light will shine in their honor.

"The main thing is it supports cardiovascular research in our area for the benefit of Northwest Indiana residents," said Jane Powers, marketing assistant at St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart. "It's homegrown and the money is raised here and it benefits people here."

Powers said each event focuses on an area physician along with a patient who has faced heart health challenges. The 2012 ceremony will include Dr. Kais Yehyawi, a cardiologist on staff at St. Mary Medical Center and has offices in Merrillville and Portage, and his patient Algird Galinis of Merrillville.

"At the ceremony, Dr. Yehyawi will highlight advances in cardio research and Mr. Galinis will say a few words and put a face to cardio research. As the guest of honor, (Galinis) will be doing our tree lighting," Powers said. "Everyone who attends has either donated or lost a family member or they themselves have an issue. We have the tree and each light represents a donation made for research."

Galinis has overcome various health challenges and faced many procedures and surgeries over the years, including open heart surgery, valve replacement, triple bypass surgery, stent insertion, surgery on his carotid artery and a near-death car wreck.

It was during routine tests, which he has based on his history, that an abdominal aortic aneurysm was uncovered.

"I didn't feel anything. Until I was told, I had no idea," Galinis said. "If it burst, I was in deep trouble."

"You have to watch for these things," Yehyawi said. "An aneurysm is usually silent and the best description is 'silent killer.' It may be too late if it bursts and you can die from internal bleeding."

Yehyawi cites Galinis' story as an example of industry innovation. Advances now allow patients to decide if they want surgery or a less invasive procedure, such as what Galinis chose to treat his abdominal aortic aneurysm or "Triple A."

"We used to have to open up the abdomen. Now we have a less invasive approach where we are going through the groin. When you compare this procedure versus surgery, the recovery is much shorter," Yehyawi said. "We lay out all the options so patients can make an educated decision."

Yehyawi said research and innovation lead to the desired goals of fewer complications and quicker recoveries.

"It is ongoing and we are developing this technology. Since we did (Galinis') stent, we have a second generation that just came out. It is already evolving really fast," he said. "The whole idea is to keep procedures as noninvasive as possible with smaller incisions. We are able to make a difference without having patients go through a long hospital stay."

He said with noninvasive procedures, patients often can go home in a day or two compared to a typical week after surgery.

"There was no pain to it. It was really nothing and I was fine within a day," said Galinis of the procedure. "I went back to work in a week."

Galinis, who retired from the Gary Police Department after serving 22 years, credits the continued preventive measures and tests for helping him overcome another health obstacle.

"I didn't know anything about (my abdominal aortic aneurysm)," he said. "When you think about it, if the doctor and his staff didn't run regular tests like they do for their patients, we might not be doing this article right now."