The Jefferson 2000 Fund

Center for Preventive Cardiology Receives Vital Support

A major gift from a local businessman has laid the groundwork for a new Jefferson program for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

R. Richard Williams, president of Valquip Corporation, a Malvern-based distributor of industrial flow control equipment, has pledged $100,000 in support of the Center for Preventive Cardiology. Under the guidance of Howard H. Weitz, MD, director of the division of cardiology, and Perry J. Weinstock, MD, director of clinical cardiology, the Center will help people who have had a heart attack, cardiovascular surgery or coronary angioplasty, as well as those who are at risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Establishment of the Center will ensure that the division's personalized, integrated approach to prevention becomes a part of routine patient care.

The campaign committee for the Center for Preventive Cardiology, headed by Mr. Williams, set a goal of $1.25 million to create an endowed professorship in preventive cardiology. "We are honored and grateful that Dick Williams has made this generous gift," said Dr. Weitz. "An endowed professorship will give us the freedom to develop patient care and research that will help countless people lead longer, more productive lives."

According to Dr. Weitz, cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United States and affects more than 70 million Americans. For decades, Jefferson has been in the forefront of treating heart disease. The invention of the heart-lung machine at Jefferson enabled our surgeons to perform the world's first open-heart surgery in 1953. By integrating advanced research and clinical practice at the Center, Jefferson maintains it's leadership in providing effective prevention strategies tailored to individual patients.