The Mended Hearts, Inc. ACTION NETWORK® Champions are an exclusive group of dedicated advocates who drive our efforts as Champions for the heart patient community.

MHI ACTION NETWORK Champions:

  • Share their experiences with legislators, regulators, and other stakeholders to express the importance of research funding and raising heart disease—including congenital heart disease—awareness
  • Participate in monthly training webinars on various advocacy topics
  • Engage with other MHI Action Network members in a closed social media group, building a community of like-minded advocates
  • Commit 2 to 2.5 hours a week to further Mended Hearts®, Young Mended Hearts™, & Mended Little Hearts®’ mission and advocacy efforts

Alina Yang

Alina Yang is the Founder and President of Guardians of the Heart, a student-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to cardiovascular health promotion and disease prevention among youth through education, advocacy, and fundraising. Driven by her family history and loss of loved ones to heart disease, as well as her aspirations of pursuing a career in cardiology, she works to raise awareness and encourage early prevention. Her mission is to inspire and educate youth to take proactive, not reactive, steps toward lifelong heart health while empowering them to kickstart their own advocacy journeys. The heart of the revolution is still beating, and it cannot afford to slow down.

 

 

 

Amy Dukovcic

“My journey in cardiovascular care began early in life. I recall the tender moments spent with my grandparents, ensuring their “heart pills” were organized, which left a lasting impression on me. This path naturally led me to become a dedicated cardiovascular Nurse Practitioner and CV Administrator.

Partnering with The Mended Hearts allows me to extend critical support to heart patients beyond the clinical setting. This initiative helps patients manage their diagnoses and enhance their quality of life, which aligns with the primary goals of healthcare providers. Supporting heart health is central to my professional mission.”

 

 

Candida Schendel

My name is Candida Schendel and I have been a heart mom for 19 years.  Before that, I knew nothing about Congenital Heart Defects; but when my son was two, I helped charter the first Mended Little Hearts group in Texas with three other heart moms and some amazing hospital staff because I never want anyone to feel as scared, lost, and alone the way I felt when he was first diagnosed.  I am now the MLH Southwest Regional Director and serve on the MHI Board. I choose to advocate for my son and others experiencing the heart journey.

 

 

 

Denise Duch Widzgowski

Heart disease is the #1 killer of women and men and has been prevalent in my family. Having been blessed with the gift of life, a heart transplant, I am proud to “pay it forward” as an MHI ACTION NETWORK Champion. I advocate for all to have access to heart health care, education, and support so all have the opportunity to live heart-healthy lives.

 

 

Glen Kelley

Glen Kelley is a dedicated advocate for the patient community. Drawing on his personal experiences of over 40 years as a Stage IV Lymphoma and bone marrow transplant survivor, he has navigated through stages of heart failure, leading to a heart transplant in 2016, followed by dialysis and a kidney transplant in 2019. As a seasoned technology executive, he has leveraged his career background to drive support programs and advocacy efforts for cardiovascular and organ transplant patients both in the US and internationally.

 

 

 

Hyvelle Ferguson-Davis

“I am an advocacy champion for those that need to understand the importance of gaining control of their heart health. We all deserve to have the right to information and a chance to live; that’s why I am proud to work with our ACTION NETWORK to help myself and other patients and families in my underrepresented community to live beyond their diagnosis.”

 

 

 

Jaime and Casey Lee

“We are advocates on behalf of our son, Carter. He was born in 2018 with multiple CHDs and underwent surgery on this eighth day of life. We are proud to volunteer as grassroots advocates in support of families and individuals impacted by heart issues.”

 

 

 

 

 

Jeff Luckenbach

“I am a sports official, athlete and retired educator.  I am a heart patient after suffering from a massive heart attack resulting in multiple complications and a lengthy hospital stay.  I wanted to become an advocate to pay back those who have helped me in my recovery.  I also want to encourage other patients about the possibilities about their own recovery.”

 

 

 

 

 

Karin Bertozzi

“I became a Mended Hearts advocate as a way to give back and support others after my emergent open-heart surgery. Mended Hearts has supported me in so many ways over the years and I know first-hand, “it’s great to be alive …and to help others.”

 

 

 

 

 

Larry Haffner

“I am excited to be part of the Mended Hearts ACTION NETWORK, continuing my involvement with advocacy efforts for others who are on heart related journeys.  I’ve had a 27 plus year history of heart related issues (including two bypass surgeries, a TAVR valve replacement, a pacemaker, and an AV node ablation), and am now also a caregiver for a spouse with heart failure.  The ACTION NETWORK will allow me to continue to advocate for other patients and families facing similar challenges. ”

 

 

 

 

Mandy Nathan

Mandy Nathan is wife, mother and attorney who discovered after years of atrial and ventricular arrythmia and heart failure that she has a de novo LMNA mutation. After that discovery, she transferred her care to Houston Methodist, where she received a heart transplant in 2019 after a six-month inpatient stay necessitated by a balloon pump and multiple desensitization protocols undertaken to try to reduce her 99% antibodies. Since her transplant, Mandy has volunteered with her local OPO, LifeGift, and Mended Hearts to share her story to give other heart patients hope and to encourage organ donation. She is also a patient representative on the OPTN Heart Transplant Committee, where she advocates for patients both pre- and post-transplant.

 

 

 

Mark Sylvester

“When our son was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect (Truncus Arteriosus), we were connected with our local Mended Little Hearts group in the Washington, DC area. The group’s guidance and support was invaluable as we navigated through the overwhelming diagnosis. Truncus is a rare CHD and we are extremely grateful to Mended Little Hearts for providing our family the opportunity to advocate for research advancements and the best care possible for our heart kiddos.”

 

 

 

 

McKenzie Clemons

McKenzie Clemons, a dedicated Pediatric Intensive Care Unit nurse in Gainesville, Florida, and an advocate for The Mended Hearts, Inc. Her passion for patient care and witnessing the resilience of young heart patients inspired her to support families navigating similar journeys. Through advocacy, she aims to provide education, resources and hope to those affected by Congenital Heart Disease. McKenzie is committed to making a lasting impact on the lives of patients and their loved ones.

 

 

 

 

Natalie Poli

“Natalie Poli, Ed.S. is a wife, mother of five, stroke and congenital heart disease survivor, public education professional, Senior Patient Advocate to the PICS Society, Mended Hearts Inc. Champion, Congenital Cardiology Today contributor, and host of the “Stroke of Insight” podcast.  She is an advocate for those born with congenital heart disease through her platform Stroke of Insight and is the reigning Mrs. Midwest International 2022.  She has chosen pageantry to bring CHD awareness to a larger audience. Natalie is a voice on behalf of adult CHD patients everywhere and will compete for the national title in the July 2022 Mrs. International Pageant.”

 

 

 

 

Natalie Sarno

“My son, Gavin, was born with CHD and needed lifesaving heart surgery post birth. I wanted to share my experience in order to shed light on congenital heart defects and bring support and hope to others.”

 

 

 

 

width=Robert Hoffman

Mended Hearts Inc Northeast Regional Director

Chapter 09 Greater Hartford Visiting Chair St. Francis Hospital Hartford Ct.

“I joined Mended Hearts after being visited by Marvin Keyser at St. Francis Hospital after a double bypass and mitral valve replacement in Dec. 1997.  I became a visitor in 1998.  I have held several offices in chapter 09.  I was elected Northeast Regional Director in 2016.  I was appointed Executive Vice President in 2019.  I am currently the Northeast Regional Director.  I am a PAN visitor.  I participated in Hill Day several years ago visiting with congressmen and senators from my state of Ct.  I had a career in the textile business both as an owner of a business in Ct. and an employee of a distributor in New Jersey.

I am a graduate of the Mount Hermon School ’59 University of Vermont ’63 and Adelphi University ’65 MBA.  My wife Cynthia and I have two children both very successful in business.  We live in West Hartford, CT and Longboat Key, Florida.”

Robin Gage

“I am Proud to be a Champion of the ACTION NETWORK for Mended Hearts, Inc.  As a Cleveland Clinic’s Super Responder that has recovered from a 4% Fraction Rate to a now 76 % Post Surgery Fraction Rate I have been Blessed by the World Class Heart Failure Treatments.  My Goal is to Give Back to others and to Inspire them through to their own recovery after receiving a diagnosis such as mine; that “your Heart is Failing and no longer functioning properly”.  There is Hope after Heart Failure, Thanks to the Patients who have “Bravely Gone Before Us” in Clinical Trials.”