Their experience inspired Bob and Georgia to support Hoag’s Advanced Heart Failure Program
After years of chronic heart disease, Bob Roth’s heart condition significantly deteriorated in spite of aggressive treatment. The fluid in his lungs never seemed to go away, and his symptoms of shortness of breath and fatigue steadily worsened. He desperately needed a heart transplant to continue to live.
On several occasions, he ended up at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach in serious condition due to his advancing congestive heart failure. The symptoms seemed to come back with more frequency despite all efforts. Ultimately, Bob received a heart transplant that gave him his life back. But, he never forgot the stress and struggle of living with congestive heart failure during his time on the heart transplant waiting list.
Their experience inspired Bob and Georgia to make a $2.3 million gift to support Hoag’s Advanced Heart Failure Program.
A Bridge and a Life Support
Heart failure, also called congestive heart failure, is a condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body's other organs. Many treatment options exist for patients with advanced heart failure, but patients require a multidisciplinary team to develop a personalized treatment strategy.
The first of its kind in the county, Hoag’s Advanced Heart Failure Program consists of a multi-disciplinary team of cardiologists, surgeons and specialists working together to provide patients and their families with the greatest quality of life possible.
Central to the Program is the latest in minimally invasive ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation and monitoring. These devices keep a patient’s heart functioning until they are well enough for a heart transplant. Some patients may receive a VAD as a permanent treatment, known as “destination therapy,” which requires constant, life-long monitoring.
The Hoag Advanced Heart Failure Program also houses Orange County’s first ECMO Center of Excellence. ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) is a critical part of any Advanced Heart Failure Program. It requires specially trained physicians, nurses and equipment to provide and administer bridge therapies for patients in advanced cardiac and pulmonary distress.
In addition to the Roth’s transformational philanthropy, Bob serves as a director on the Hoag Hospital Foundation Board, as co-chair of the Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute Campaign Committee and as a member of the Hoag Promise Campaign Steering Committee.
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