Cardiologist John Windle, M.D., says serving as president of the Heartland Affiliate of the American Heart Association is professionally and personally fulfilling.
“For me, it’s a great way to spend my volunteer time,” said Dr. Windle, professor and chief of cardiology at UNMC.
Being involved with the organization provides an opportunity to reach people who are healthy and tell them how to avoid heart disease and stroke through proper nutrition and exercise, Dr. Windle said.
“As a cardiologist I take care of people who already have heart disease,” he said. “This allows me to reach people who don’t or maybe don’t know they have it and educate them about it. Hopefully those people will never have a reason to come see me.”
After being nominated by his peers, Dr. Windle was appointed to the position last year and will serve as president through 2005.
The Heartland Affiliate is a consolidation of six state chapters and includes Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas. All of the states have a strong concentration of rural populations, which will ensure that the American Heart Association maintains an interest in the rural communities, Dr. Windle said.
Before the American Heart Association consolidated state chapters, the research and funding streams were uncoordinated, he said. With the introduction of the affiliates in 2000, the non-profit group is better able to work toward its goal of decreasing death by stroke and heart disease by 25 percent through shared resources and fund-raising efforts.
The Heartland Affiliate alone is able to fund $6 million a year in research, Dr. Windle said. “In fact, this year three UNMC cardiovascular researchers were awarded funding through the Heartland Affiliate,” he said.
Dr. Windle has been a volunteer with the American Heart Association for the past 17 years. Prior to becoming regional president, he served as a member of the American Heart Association research committee, president of the Nebraska Chapter and treasurer of the Heartland Affiliate.
Dr. Windle is proud to be involved with such a worthy organization, he said. “The American Heart Association is very conscious of their mission to reduce heart disease. They make sure every dollar is spent on this effort. It’s a very well-run organization and I get great satisfaction knowing that my energy is going to help others,” he said.