Special ministries find their niche when people of faith put their heads together to make a difference. Recently, a heart healthy program at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital (AHH) was the conduit to bring two diverse school groups together to illustrate that hearts of all races beat the same.
While heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the United States, prejudice and cultural and economic differences can also scar hearts. The Parent-Teacher Association of Prospect School in Clarendon Hills, Ill., met a challenge to create an appreciation of diversity by starting a pen pal program with Chicago students at William Penn School. The Start With the Heart program at AHH fostered those friendships in an educational but fun atmosphere.
“Inner city schools often lack funding for core curriculum, let alone field trips,” said Penn teacher Heather Furrow who was eager for her fifth-grade class to participate in Start With the Heart. The four-part program teaches youngsters the importance of prevention and early detection of heart disease. It includes hands-on activities in conjunction with a health unit taught in schools.
The program was founded in 1993 by Marcie Calandra, RN, the wife of David Calandra, M.D., a cardiac surgeon on the joint medical staff of AHH and Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital. The program has grown to include more than 400 students from nearby school districts and is now offered at both hospitals.
Known as “Mrs. Heart,” Marcie Calandra teaches a lesson on anatomy and physiology of the heart by visiting each school and dissecting a cow’s heart. The pseudo open-heart surgery gives students an appreciation for the organ that needs to be well cared for to last a lifetime. Classroom teachers present lessons on healthy eating and exercise.
According to Anita Darcy Siefert, co-chair of Community Outreach Committee at Prospect School, the pupils learned they shared dreams and the same concerns for their families. When the students took their field trip to Robert Crown Center in Hinsdale, “They learned that a diet heavy on junk food and a lifestyle with little exercise increases the risk for heart disease,” noted Brian Westbury, coordinator of Start With the Heart. They also met their pen pals for the first time. And when they visited AHH for the conclusion of the Start With the Heart program, they sat side by side with their extended classmates and watched David Calandra perform a valve replacement in a cow’s heart that was still attached to its trachea and lungs.
The reaction of both Prospect and Penn students: “It was awesome!"
"This has been a great experience socially and academically for my students,” said Penn teacher Furrow.
Kelly Awick, a fourth-grade teacher at Prospect School, noted her students learned, “You could make a new friend by getting in there and doing it. The girls are chatting away, and this group of boys looks like they have been friends for a long time.”
Marcie Calandra noted, “There are many things that make the students from Prospect and Penn alike. You are all eager to learn, you are polite, respectful, and have dedicated teachers. You are more alike than different. You just need to get to know each other to see those similarities.”
Lynn Larson, public relations specialist for Adventist Midwest Health
Author’s Note: David and Marcie Calandra and their daughter, Ashley, a student nurse, participated in Adventist Midwest Health’s 2006 mission trip to Ghana, West Africa. The Calandras are very committed to quality healthcare and serving others. David will head a medical team on the 2007 mission trip to Ecuador, and Marcie will oversee all the medical and dental teams as an administrator in Ecuador.
