Hopkins raises more than $150,000 at Heartfest 2007

Issue: March 2007

BALTIMORE — The Heartfest 2007 benefit raised more than $150,000 for The Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Preventive Cardiology Center.

Heartfest 2007 featured a variety of heart-healthy foods prepared by local restaurants, wine and the performance of an original sketch, “Trials of the Heart,” written by members of The Johns Hopkins University Theatre and the youngest son of actors John Astin and Patty Duke, Mackenzie Astin. John Astin, famous for the role of Gomez Addams in the television series, “The Addams Family,” was also a special honoree at the event. Stevie V. and The Heart Attackers provided live music throughout the evening.

Educational stations featured organizations such as the American Heart Association, Sister to Sister — geared to prevention of heart disease in women — and the Maryland Athletic Club and Wellness Center.

“Heartfest met its goal of providing an educational, tasty, as well as very enjoyable evening with great music from ‘The Heart Attackers’ band,” event co-chairman Roger S. Blumenthal, MD, director of the Ciccarone Center and member of the Preventive Cardiology section of the Cardiology Today editorial board, said.

Another editorial board member, Rita Redberg, MD, professor of medicine in the division of cardiology and director of Women’s Cardiovascular Services at the University of California San Francisco, attended Heartfest as did the new American College of Cardiology CEO, Jack Lewin, MD.

Stephen C. Achuff, MD and Lawrence S. C. Griffith, MD
Medical Honorees and internationally acclaimed cardiologists Stephen C. Achuff, MD, (right) emeritus professor of medicine at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Lawrence S. C. Griffith, MD, (left) professor of medicine at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Cardiologists honored

Medical honorees included Stephen C. Achuff, MD, emeritus professor of medicine, division of cardiology, and Lawrence S. C. Griffith, MD, professor of medicine, both at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Achuff was the director of clinical cardiology at Hopkins for two decades and has held a series of leadership positions at Hopkins. He received The Johns Hopkins University and School of Medicine Chairman’s Award for Excellence in May 2006.

Griffith was the first to define fluid and electrolyte losses in children with cholera. As director of the Adult Cardiovascular Diagnostic Laboratories at Hopkins, he developed a cardiac catheterization training program for cardiology fellows. He was honored in 2005 by the Bermuda Heart Foundation for his work providing consultation for more than 3,300 patients at Hopkins that hailed from Bermuda.

Next year’s Heartfest medical honorees on Jan. 26, 2008, will be Eric J. Topol, MD, of Scripps Clinic and Carl J. Pepine, MD, Chief Medical Editor of Cardiology Today.

For more information:

For pictures, sponsors and more information, visit the Heartfest Web site at www.heartfest.org.