Abughnia
Wright Center’s annual congenital heart disease forum to be televised due to COVID-19
Thomas-Hemak
Monaco
Saqib
Pharmacist Eric Pusey is seen with his son, Bryan. Pusey is featured speaker for The Wright Center for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education’s fourth annual Caring Hearts panel discussion, in which he shares personal insights on raising a child with a heart abnormality that develops before birth. The discussion, which was intended to be a live event, is being featured on WVIA-TV due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Submitted
SCRANTON — The Wright Center for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education will present its fourth annual Caring Hearts panel discussion on congenital heart disease on public TV due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Originally slated for April 25th at Genetti Manor in Dickson City, this year’s Caring Heart’s program will feature pharmacist Eric Pusey, who will share personal insights on raising a child with a heart abnormality that develops before birth. Eric’s son, Bryan, was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot, a combination of four congenital heart defects commonly found in children with Down syndrome.
The program, intended to build a strong community network for patients and families and generate an informative and educational conversation, will air Thursday, June 25, 8 p.m.; Friday, June 26, 1 p.m.; and Sunday, June 28, 5 p.m.
Caring Hearts panelists include three regional cardiac specialists, a prominent primary care physician and a soon-to-be cardiac fellow. Their discussion will focus on patients born with heart defects living better lives into adulthood thanks to advanced medical and surgical innovations. Moderator Linda Thomas-Hemak, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of The Wright Center for Community Health and President of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, will be joined by:
Haitham Abughnia, M.D., Cardiovascular Disease and Internal Medicine Physician at Commonwealth Health, and Cardiology Specialist in Clarks Summit Michele P. Monaco, M.D., Pediatric Cardiologist, Penn State Children’s Heart Group
Samir B. Pancholy, M.D., Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Professor of Medicine at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, and Program Director of the Fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease for The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education
Najam Saqib, M.D., soon-to-be Cardiology Fellow, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education
“Caring Hearts is an extension of our mission to improve the health and welfare of our community. Now more than ever, we feel it is still our imperative to relay both important health information and uplifting examples of perseverance in the face of obstacles,” Dr. Thomas-Hemak explained. “This televised format allows us to fulfill our noble intent: to broadly share a program that encompasses education about congenital heart defects as well as personal stories of strength, hope and resilience.”
