EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) -
Thursday night, Deaconess Hospital is being recognized for helping those with heart problems.
Mended Hearts is a national organization that helps support heart patients. It's had a chapter here in Evansville for over 30 years.
Right now, there are about 115 members.
Thursday night at 6:30, Deaconess will be presented with the Mended Heart Regional Hospital of the Year Award for its involvement with the group.
At Deaconess, they tell us a volunteer with Mended Hearts is actually part of the Doctor's orders for heart surgery patients, making them part of the treatment plan.
The organization has support group meetings to talk about all that comes along with heart surgery, and supplies information to patients and their families.
Sometimes volunteers who've dealt with heart issues themselves, have a chance to just talk with patients, like Preston Phillips, one-on-one.
"It would mean a lot support-wise, both physically and psychologically, I think for anyone," said Phillips. "Rehabilitation is not a simple matter that I think one can do by himself."
"I think it gives them something standing in front of them, or somebody standing in front of them, that has had open heart," said Mended Hearts volunteer Tom Southwell. "Whether it be 10, 15, 20 years ago, still we've been through what they're going through at the time. And it kind of gives them a little handle on, 'Yeah, I can do what he's doing now,' so there is hope."
In addition to this award, Mended Little Hearts got some recognition as well.
That group aims to support parents for children with heart defect, and it was named runner up for Group of the Year.
Congratulations to all involved! Job well done!
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The organization has support group meetings to talk about all that comes along with heart surgery, and supplies information to patients and their families.
