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
Alexandra Watson
“I am an advocacy champion for my son, Henry. Henry was born with TGA, an ASD and a VSD and had his open heart surgery at 9 days old. A CHD diagnosis is difficult and isolating so I am excited to work with ACTION NETWORK to ensure fellow heart warriors and their families feel supported.”
Alison Garibay
“I am an advocacy champion for myself. I was born with severe heart defects and had three heart surgeries—one the day he was born. I am proud to work with ACTION NETWORK to help other patients and families like mine.”
Amber Fitzegerald
“I am an advocacy champion for myself and my family. I was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy/heart failure when I was 31 years old. I have been able to live a somewhat normal life with the help of many medications and a bi-ventricular ICD. I am proud to work with our ACTION NETWORK to help other patients like myself.”
Autumn Jones
“I became an advocacy champion in honor of my son, Landon. Landon was born with a severe congenital heart defect and has had 5 open heart surgeries. Landon is such an inspiration and a true blessing to our family. I consider it my privilege, as his mother, to be able to tell his story and help spread awareness about CHD.”
Dena Drabek
“I’m proud to support the ACTION NETWORK as an advocacy champion for my son Eli, who was born with a heart defect which has already required two surgeries in his young life. I am committed to advocacy that improves the lives of those in the heart disease community.”
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.
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.”
Jeffrey Wexler
“Why me? A minor heart attack almost turned deadly. 10 Years ago I had it. Yeah!! Plaque ruptured in my LAD (The Widowmaker). I casually walked into the hospital knowing what was going on, even to the point of feeling relief that I was finally having my attack. Sounds odd? Not to me. Having a terrible genetic cardiac history, thanks dad, I watched the fluoroscopy screen as my stenting proceeded. I have been involved in cardiology for 40 years when I co-founded a Holter monitoring lab in 1982. 10 Days later I was released from the hospital thanks to an accidental puncture of one of my major coronary arteries during the procedure resulting in open heart surgery for cardiac tamponade. Thanks for saving me Dr. Brizio. Being a very active athlete, cycling, I beat all odds. I give back because of my family history with Mended Hearts going back over 40 years. I give back because my belief in managing YOUR own health is in YOUR hands. I am a huge patient advocate. I have met some incredible people, mostly younger, who are dealing with heart disease of all kinds and I am proud to be a poster child of how you too can be a shining example of enjoying a full and better life even with heart disease. Ask me about cycling, it can save lives.”
Jim Barton
Jim Barton is a Volunteer who nurtures other open-heart surgery survivors by providing peer to peer support as a certified Mended Hearts Visitor at the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute in Northern Virginia. A lifetime of volunteering includes sharing his time through activities and leadership positions at schools, church, local elections, and hospitals.
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. ”
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.”
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.”