Latest news with #peerSupport
Associated Press
16 hours ago
- Health
- Associated Press
Mended Hearts International Foundation Will Be Launched to Empower Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases Worldwide
GENEVA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 27, 2025-- For more than seven decades, patients with cardiovascular diseases have found hope through a simple but powerful concept: peer-to-peer support from those who have walked the same journey. Now, the mission of The Mended Hearts, Inc. (MHI) will expand globally with the establishment of the Mended Hearts International Foundation (MHIF). This independent, endowed, nonprofit foundation will be based in Geneva, Switzerland, and will work with national and international decision and policymakers — including politicians, legislators, professionals and associations — to develop healthcare policies and regulatory frameworks that support patient-centered care across multiple disease states, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney diseases, cancers, sleep apnea and depression. The Foundation will participate in the Mended Hearts International Network (MHIN), which will include The Mended Hearts, Inc. (USA), Mended Hearts Europe (MHE) and Mended Hearts University, Inc. (MHU). Additional nonprofits are expected to join the MHIF, including Mended Little Hearts, Inc., Mended Hearts Asia and other nonprofit organizations. Overall, the MHIF will have four main mandates: Building on the success of MHI, the world's largest peer-to-peer cardiovascular patient support network, the MHIF will represent the natural evolution of expanding resources to support the 523 million patients, according to the CDC, who suffer with cardiovascular diseases worldwide. 'The MHIF believes in a world where every patient with cardiovascular disease is empowered with the resources and support needed to make better decisions about their healthcare and live a healthy life,' said A.R. Voss, Founder. 'Through our networked organizations, we will inspire hope and improve the quality of life of patients, their families and their caregivers through ongoing support, education and advocacy.' MHIF's advocacy efforts will focus on monitoring national and international legislative and regulatory changes, supporting ethical and legal reforms, backing alternate funding programs and organizing conferences to educate patient communities about healthcare policy changes. The Foundation will also build coalitions to help patients become empowered advocates for change. The Foundation will be governed by a Board of Directors with at least three members, along with auditors, the Mended Hearts International Advisory Committee and any other body designated by the MHIF Board. The Advisory Committee will include two representatives from each MHIN entity, one staff member serving as secretary and all MHIF Board members. For more information about the Mended Hearts International Foundation, contact [email protected]. Additionally, MHIF will develop educational research projects, create educational resources and support patients and their families by creating an inclusive and compassionate community. It will also oversee the Mended Hearts International Network, which includes entities across multiple countries dedicated to providing peer-to-peer support, patient education and advocacy for cardiovascular patients worldwide. MHI's three programs — Mended Little Hearts ®, Young Mended Hearts ®, and Mended Hearts ® — make MHI the only organization in the world that supports patients with all forms of cardiovascular diseases throughout a patient's entire lifespan. MHI volunteers personally inspire, educate and empower nearly 400,000 patients and family members in-person each year through a robust network of members who provide services and outreach in 643 hospitals, plus cardiology offices, clinics, cardiac rehab centers and local communities. MHI's support reaches another 7+ million individuals each year through social media channels, blogs, web pages and outreach. Beyond peer support, MHI serves as a trusted provider of patient education and resources, including HeartGuide ® patient and parent resource guides, interactive GoToGuides, trifold discussion guides, videos, webinars, Heartbeat ® magazine, and regional meetings and educational conferences. The MHI ACTION NETWORK™ brings together a community of patients, families, caregivers and researchers dedicated to advocating for those living with cardiovascular disease. For more information, visit View source version on CONTACT: Media Contact: A.R. Voss Founder, Mended Hearts International Foundation +1 888 432 7899 [email protected] KEYWORD: SWITZERLAND EUROPE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MANAGED CARE PHILANTHROPY ONCOLOGY MENTAL HEALTH HEALTHCARE REFORM HOSPITALS FOUNDATION CARDIOLOGY PRACTICE MANAGEMENT HEALTH DIABETES PUBLIC POLICY/GOVERNMENT SOURCE: Mended Hearts, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 06/27/2025 11:59 PM/DISC: 06/27/2025 11:59 PM
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Mended Hearts International Foundation Will Be Launched to Empower Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases Worldwide
The Geneva-based Mended Hearts International Foundation will expand peer-to-peer support, education programs, and advocacy for healthcare policy changes. GENEVA, June 28, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For more than seven decades, patients with cardiovascular diseases have found hope through a simple but powerful concept: peer-to-peer support from those who have walked the same journey. Now, the mission of The Mended Hearts, Inc. (MHI) will expand globally with the establishment of the Mended Hearts International Foundation (MHIF). This independent, endowed, nonprofit foundation will be based in Geneva, Switzerland, and will work with national and international decision and policymakers — including politicians, legislators, professionals and associations — to develop healthcare policies and regulatory frameworks that support patient-centered care across multiple disease states, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney diseases, cancers, sleep apnea and depression. The Foundation will participate in the Mended Hearts International Network (MHIN), which will include The Mended Hearts, Inc. (USA), Mended Hearts Europe (MHE) and Mended Hearts University, Inc. (MHU). Additional nonprofits are expected to join the MHIF, including Mended Little Hearts, Inc., Mended Hearts Asia and other nonprofit organizations. Overall, the MHIF will have four main mandates: Support patients and their families by creating an inclusive and compassionate community through peer-to-peer support and meaningful connections Empower patients and their families by providing relevant education and resources that enable them to make better decisions about their healthcare Develop educational research projects and rely on research and input from the patient communities, in particular through the entities of the Mended Hearts International Network Preserve the values and ethics of the Mended Hearts International Network Building on the success of MHI, the world's largest peer-to-peer cardiovascular patient support network, the MHIF will represent the natural evolution of expanding resources to support the 523 million patients, according to the CDC, who suffer with cardiovascular diseases worldwide. "The MHIF believes in a world where every patient with cardiovascular disease is empowered with the resources and support needed to make better decisions about their healthcare and live a healthy life," said A.R. Voss, Founder. "Through our networked organizations, we will inspire hope and improve the quality of life of patients, their families and their caregivers through ongoing support, education and advocacy." MHIF's advocacy efforts will focus on monitoring national and international legislative and regulatory changes, supporting ethical and legal reforms, backing alternate funding programs and organizing conferences to educate patient communities about healthcare policy changes. The Foundation will also build coalitions to help patients become empowered advocates for change. The Foundation will be governed by a Board of Directors with at least three members, along with auditors, the Mended Hearts International Advisory Committee and any other body designated by the MHIF Board. The Advisory Committee will include two representatives from each MHIN entity, one staff member serving as secretary and all MHIF Board members. For more information about the Mended Hearts International Foundation, contact info@ About Mended Hearts International FoundationThe Mended Hearts International Foundation (MHIF) will be an independent, endowed, nonprofit foundation based in Geneva, Switzerland, established to coordinate global advocacy efforts for patients with cardiovascular disease and their families. The Foundation will work with national and international policymakers to develop patient-centered healthcare policies and regulatory frameworks. Additionally, MHIF will develop educational research projects, create educational resources and support patients and their families by creating an inclusive and compassionate community. It will also oversee the Mended Hearts International Network, which includes entities across multiple countries dedicated to providing peer-to-peer support, patient education and advocacy for cardiovascular patients worldwide. About Mended Hearts, Mended Hearts, Inc. (MHI) is the world's largest peer-to-peer cardiovascular patient support network with more than 125,000 members residing in 73 countries. Founded in 1951 and incorporated in 1955, MHI's mission is "to inspire hope and improve the quality of life of cardiovascular disease patients and their families through ongoing peer-to-peer support, education and advocacy." MHI's three programs — Mended Little Hearts®, Young Mended Hearts®, and Mended Hearts® — make MHI the only organization in the world that supports patients with all forms of cardiovascular diseases throughout a patient's entire lifespan. MHI volunteers personally inspire, educate and empower nearly 400,000 patients and family members in-person each year through a robust network of members who provide services and outreach in 643 hospitals, plus cardiology offices, clinics, cardiac rehab centers and local communities. MHI's support reaches another 7+ million individuals each year through social media channels, blogs, web pages and outreach. Beyond peer support, MHI serves as a trusted provider of patient education and resources, including HeartGuide® patient and parent resource guides, interactive GoToGuides, trifold discussion guides, videos, webinars, Heartbeat® magazine, and regional meetings and educational conferences. The MHI ACTION NETWORK™ brings together a community of patients, families, caregivers and researchers dedicated to advocating for those living with cardiovascular disease. For more information, visit View source version on Contacts Media Contact: A.R. VossFounder, Mended Hearts International Foundation+1 888 432 7899avoss@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CBC
5 days ago
- Health
- CBC
Planting purpose: the impact of gardening at this Fredericton shelter
Talk of gardening echoes through the cafe at Fredericton's Oak Centre. Residents sit in small groups, sipping their morning coffee while giving updates to each other about how their plants are growing in the community garden. It's music to the ears of peer support worker Donald Parker who knows first hand how important it is to have something to look forward to. "They're excited to come out in the mornings and weed and plant," Parker said. Oak Centre is a supportive housing complex operated by the John Howard Society for people experiencing or who have experienced homelessness. Now in its fourth season, Parker has seen the difference the centre's community garden has had on residents. "They're proud of what they're doing. They feel like they got a purpose. They feel like they matter. You know, they're not thinking about the stigma that people put on them," he said. The community garden is surrounded by a wooden fence, where grape vines hug one corner. Inside are 43 raised garden beds and a shed to store gardening tools. Parker got involved after his own struggle with addiction and mental health. "I had my own dark demons and I had my own addictions that I had to deal with," he said. "For years I was addicted to cocaine and was drinking and doing other pills." After a stay in a rehabilitation centre, he began working with others and eventually trained to become a peer support worker. His past experience in carpentry made him the ideal person to turn the idea of a community garden at Oak Centre into a reality. WATCH | 'A reason to wake up in the morning' Community garden at Fredericton's Oak Centre brings residents 'to life' 1 hour ago Duration 2:46 "They knew what they wanted, they just didn't know how to put it together," Parker said. He understood how important a space like a garden could be because when he returned home from rehab, he remembers needing something to do. "My whole life at that time was the place that I went." Parker said his personal experience helps him relate to residents. "Having a key and a front door is a big thing and once you do house these people, they need something to do." For many, that something is gardening. "They get in here, they plant their own stuff, tomatoes or cucumbers, they use it to go up to their units and cook their own tomato sandwiches," Parker said. "I heard some stories about them making pizza out of the tomatoes and basil that they harvested from this garden," Beyonce Guiao said. Guiao is working as a summer student at Oak Centre. She applied for the job because it looked like a fun gardening gig. But the job has become so much more to her. "I realized it's not just gardening. It's also being able to be a part of something that helps foster a sense of community in this place and it's such a fulfilling job," Guiao said. She's responsible for maintaining the garden, signing up residents to participate, and getting donations like seeds and gardening tools. Parker said many materials needed to build the garden were donated. "It's great how the community comes together and reaches out at a time like this," Parker said. "That's what helps eliminate the stigma that comes around with living rough, you know, it's just beautiful to see." Parker said the garden just opened for the summer a week ago.
BBC News
09-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Men's mental health group Andysmanclub is coming to Taunton
A suicide prevention charity is meeting for the first time to offer open discussions about men's mental named after a man called Andrew Roberts who took his own life, will be running sessions in Taunton in group says it will run free peer-to-peer support sessions each week, where men can speak openly to each other and share their South West area lead for the charity, Steve Doyle, said: "Having a space where you can go along and speak very openly to people who may have gone through similar things, and get what you're talking about, can be very powerful in helping you move on." Mr Doyle said anyone who identifies as a man and is over 18 years old can come along to one of the sessions, which will take place every Monday evening at Nightingale Lodge on E Reach."Everyone has some kind of struggle with their mental health at some point during their lives," Mr Doyle said."I came to Andysmanclub in January 2022. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression."I was more honest there than I was in my counselling sessions or towards my family and friends. There were guys there who had been in similar situations, and were further along the line from it."Mr Doyle said there is "no pressure" to share anything, everyone who attends is invited to speak as much or little as they would like."The first night is always nerve racking because you put the sign outside and you never know how many people will come along," he added.
CBC
04-06-2025
- Health
- CBC
Peer support agency in Thunder Bay, Ont., readies for relocation, new supportive housing
Social Sharing A peer support agency in Thunder Bay, Ont., is relocating its drop-in centre, as it expands its services to include supportive housing on the south side of town. People Advocating for Change Through Empowerment (PACE), located at 510 Victoria Avenue E., is a central location for some of the city's most vulnerable. There, they can get food and free clothing, do their laundry, take a shower and connect with others in a safe environment. The organization has recently become involved in the province's new Homeless and Addiction Recovery Treatment Hub (HART) program, following the closure of the region's only supervised consumption site, Path 525, at the end of March. "We love this space. However, to make it work better with the new initiatives coming up by the government and for the initiatives going on in this business area, like the [Victoriaville] mall coming down, our people need a place to go," said Georgina McKinnon, PACE's executive director. In the coming weeks, PACE will relocate to 409 George St., directly across from Shelter House, remaining in the neighbourhood it's been serving for years. With the new space comes room for a dozen new supportive housing units, which McKinnon hopes become part of a continuum of care for people recovering from addiction, she said. "We're hoping to be one of the last steps, that people come out of recovery, go into more heavily-supported housing, down to lightly-supported housing," McKinnon explained. "We can help them out downstairs in PACE before they get out into the world on their own." The Thunder Bay district continues to have the highest opioid-related death rate in Ontario, at nearly five times the provincial average. NorWest Community Health Centres, which operated Path 525, is the lead partner for Thunder Bay's HART Hub. Unlike supervised consumption sites, HART Hubs do not allow supervised drug consumption, safer supply or needle exchange programs. According to the province, they instead focus on providing primary care, employment support, and mental health, addiction and social services — much of which PACE already offers. "I'm so excited," McKinnon said of the upcoming move. "PACE is expanding in so many ways, it's amazing." 'They help me with all of it' Everyone who works at PACE has lived experience of the challenges their clients are going through, such as homelessness, addictions and mental health issues. David Baumgartner is a long-time client at PACE who started coming there when he was staying at an overnight shelter. "It kind of became like my second home. I'm here often, pretty much every day, for everything from just talking to people to eating to getting clothes, whatever," he said. "They help me with all of it." He said it's important for the city to support places like PACE, which are open to everyone. "Even though I have an apartment, I still come here to eat. I come here to get out of the house; it gets depressing sitting in there all the time," Baumgartner said. "It kind of became like my second home." - David Baumgartner, client at PACE "It's really important to have a space like this, where people can feel safe." McKinnon said PACE is planning a seamless transition to its new space to avoid any disruption in services. A moving company is expected to start bringing things over from the Victoria Avenue East location in mid-July. Renovations have already started at the George Street building, she said. Her hope is that as PACE expands its presence in the region, more people gain a better understanding of the clients it serves. "Once you get to know the people that come to PACE, you get a whole different idea of them. They're wonderful people that really want to give back to the community," McKinnon said. As temperatures begin to rise, she said PACE is most in need of donations of seasonal clothing — especially for men — as well as shoes, kitchen and household items and fans.
