MANAHAWKIN, NJ (November 3, 2008) – More than 80 golfers turned out for the first annual John McVeigh Memorial Outing recently held at Ocean Acres Country Club. Event organizer Debbie Scott (left) is shown presenting a $5,000 check to DEBORAH Hospital Foundation National Chapter Director Ellen Krivchenia. Scott, who works at the Country Club, organized the benefit in memory of her partner John McVeigh who was treated for advanced lung cancer at DEBORAH Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills.

            “I wanted to do something good in his name,” said Scott. “John received such great care at DEBORAH, and although he had insurance, I knew that even if he didn’t have insurance he still would have received great care there.”

            DEBORAH is a specialty heart, lung, and vascular hospital that in 86 years has never rendered a bill to a patient in keeping with its mission that “there is no price on life.”

BROWNS MILLS, NJ (November 12, 2008) – Deborah Heart and Lung Center has announced its successful debut of the new Impella LP 2.5 device. The Impella 2.5 is a minimally-invasive, catheterbased cardiac assist device.With its use, high-risk patients can now safely and successfully undergo cardiac intervention. The Impella 2.5 received FDA approval in June and is the world’s smallest heart pump. It is inserted through the skin in the cath lab via the femoral artery into the left ventricle of the heart. Up to 2.5 liters of blood per minute can then be continuously pumped from the left ventricle into the ascending aorta, providing the heart with active support in critical situations.With this steady blood flow, patients who were too critical to receive a cardiac intervention can now have lifesaving treatment. Deborah is the first hospital in South Jersey to use this technology. “Our first use of the Impella device for high risk PCI went very smoothly and successfully,” said Dr. Tommy Ng who headed up Deborah’s Impella team. “This offers a wide range of possibilities for patients who previously were not candidates for a cardiac intervention. This device has the potential to bring a fundamental shift for patients in the cath lab.” “We are excited about this new technology,” said Dr. Manu Rajachandran, Director of Deborah’s Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. “This will give us the ability to reach patients who were previously too medically fragile to undergo procedures which could save their lives. It is gratifying once again to be at the cutting-edge in medicine.” Deborah Heart and Lung Center is a 139-bed specialty heart, lung, and vascular teaching hospital.

November 21, 2008 – Nurse Jill Curliss (left) speaks to DEBORAH Heart and Lung Center patient Shakila Razak of Chester just before having a pacemaker implanted at the hospital in Browns Mills, NJ. Razak, a native of Pakistan, first came to DEBORAH in 1977 when she was 10-years old as part of its Children of the World Program. The Program helped repair the hearts of children all over the world who had congenital defects.

Today, DEBORAH’s Children of the World Program continues to care for its former patients in its Adult Congenital Clinic.

            Razak, who has worked as an accountant in a construction company, has been in the United States 28 years. When she first came to the United States in 1977 she had a mitral valve replacement. In 1983 she had her valve replaced again, and also had a pacemaker implanted. She received her second pacemaker in 1990. This is her third pacemaker from DEBORAH.

            “I never want to go anywhere else but DEBORAH,” she said. “I trust them the most with my life. I feel comfortable with the doctors and nurses and have always had a good experience there.”

            In addition, DEBORAH Heart and Lung Center, a specialty heart, lung, and vascular hospital has also had a charitable and humanitarian mission for the past 86 years. Keeping with its founders’ motto “there is no price on life” it has never rendered a bill to a patient and has always given care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. The Children of the World Program was an international outgrowth of that humanitarian mission.

For more information visit www.deborah.org