Idea

I have noticed many on this site taking about the cost of pacemakers and surgeries. Heres an idead: what if we started a fundraiser for those in need of pacemakers and difibilators who dont have medical insurance and cant afford them. We could start a charity foundation and this site (with legal consent, of course) could be our sponsors. You ask for something like a cookie and your told no because you dont need one, but when you ask for a pm or difib they so no because u cant afford one. Also think about children who are born with heart problems, they are born into the world and may ot live without these. Who heartbroken their mother would be if they couldnt afford one, and all they could do was watch their baby die. Mabe this is crazy talk, but I'm a dreamer and this is my dream. Help people like yourself be fortuante as we all are

10 Comments

wow

by jessie - 2007-11-11 06:11:02

what great idea. it would help people with no insurance.i am all for it for sure. for one so young to think of this itis incredible. i woould like more info on how it could be started. jessie

Blake could do it.

by bowlrbob - 2007-11-11 06:11:34

Blake, I think this a great idea and something this site as a whole could think about. Since you started all this you could be the administartor of the PFL (pacers for life) foundation. You could collect the funds and also help get hospital and Dr, donations of time and even Pacer companies to donate some devices for those in need. Along with this site this could become your full time job. I'll bet club members as well as others would give to a cause like this. Give it some thought. This could work. You were able to raise money for pictures on the site. I know that wasn't as much as needed here. But our members have a HEART you know. It will start slow maybe but you could do great things with this. Bowlrbob

Dear Dreamer ;-)

by pacergirl - 2007-11-11 06:11:41

Dear Marisa,

Great things have come from dreams..... Young dreams. There is a lot of power in young voices! I hear you loud and clear! Does Anyone else hear what I hear????? ;-)

If you want to see this become a reality them I will lend you my support. I don't know what i can do, but I am behind you.

Without a pacemaker I would not be alive. Yes, I did live the first 50 years w/o one, but now I need it. If I were a little baby and was poor, It would probably be a different story. If I were born to poor parents in a poor country, well we can guess what would happen.

So yes, in response to you question, You have my support. I will give it some thought as to what could be done.

Good Luck, Pacergirl ;-)

how we can all help

by marisab - 2007-11-11 07:11:11

We can all help. Our friends and family love us because we are who we are. Are pacemakers and difibs are litteraly apart of us, and since people we know are people who care about us, they would be more so willing to help others. Everyone, dont just look to the people on the site, look to the people who know you and may have known you b4 your heart problem. I'm a dreamer, and always have been, I'm 14 but I wanna make a difference in many lives by helping people. It will surely take a while but with support and willingness we could all save someones life and in time (maybe a very distant long time) save many. Todays world many see bad things and do nothing. If we dont help people we are equal to people who stand by and watch someone get killed, except in a less wiolent way.
Marisa

HELPING TOO

by mferrie07 - 2007-11-11 07:11:13

I would love to have a hand in this. I think it's a great idea. I feel so fortunate to have my PM, I would be so humbled to help someone else who cna;t do it on their own.

Margaret

What a great idea.

by tcrabtree85 - 2007-11-11 07:11:46

I love the idea and if I can do anything to help that would be awesome. Great idea!

Here's two pacemaker organizations

by bowlrbob - 2007-11-11 10:11:35

After reading these comments and even making one I went online to research the subject. I found two organizations already running doing work with pacer recipients. The first one I found was the Larry King Cardiac Foundation they work with all kinds of heart conditions. Then I found Heartbeat International they do mostly pacemakers and Icd's and are all over the world. You can get to the web sites and see for yourself. Larry Kings is www.lkcf.org and Heartbeat International is www.heartbeatintl.org check these out you may want to help one of these. If not maybe there is someone in our club with the expertise to start a new organization. Bowlerbob

Heartbeat & Larry KIng

by admin - 2007-11-12 09:11:21

Both of Bob's examples are great. The Larry King Foundation helps cardiac patients (with insurance issues) in the United Sates, while Heartbeat send devices to developing countries. I do not have personal knowledge of Larry King's Foundation. However, I'm a Board member of Heartbeat and truly believe in this cause.

Instead of forming a seperate organization, I recommend we raise funds for Heartbeat International. With some help from members, we can make this happen.

Let me know what you think.

Blake

how about people in the US

by bowlrbob - 2007-11-12 12:11:20

Blake, does heartbeat international also help people in the US. There are people here who need help too. Just wondering. Anyway if you are involved in it that is a good enough recommendation for me. i will donate some money to them. Thanks for your input. Bowlrbob

Reply to Bob

by admin - 2007-11-14 01:11:23

Bob,

Heartbeat has a network of implant centers around the word, but not in the US. Heartbeat caters to patients in developing countries. Pacemaker and ICDs are implanted for free. St. Jude and Medtronic donate the devices and doctors from around the world implant them. I have been on their Board for almost three years and become more impressed each meeting.

Blake

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