Pictures from 2009 Ken Rome Fun Run

On-Line Registration Ends Sep. 23rd Mail-in ends Sep. 8th

Please click the active giving icon to get registered – only four weeks until the Fun Run!

Sharon Rome is an Everyday Hero…

Sharon Rome (with her family) receives Everyday Hero Award from the MN Lynx for her work with the Ken Rome Foundation

Sharon was honored in July for her work in raising funds for the Minnesota Heart Institute.

Minnesota Lynx Feature Close the Gap and Heart Health Education at 2009 Home Games

Boston Scientific is pleased to announce the partnership of Boston Scientific and Close the Gap with the Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA) team Minnesota Lynx. The focus of this collaboration is to raise awareness of heart disease and the disparity of care for women and minority populations. The Minnesota Lynx are uniquely positioned to help deliver this message and are committed to making Close the Gap their primary cause this season.

The Lynx also will launch a video blog on www.lynxbasketball.com that follows Lynx head coach Jennifer Gillom throughout the summer to record the steps she takes to reduce her own heart disease risk factors.
Close the Gap activities to be featured at Lynx home games throughout the season include:

• Ask a cardiologist – At July home games, a cardiologist will staff a Close the Gap booth where fans can ask questions and receive tips for improving heart health.
• Faces of Heart – In August, the Lynx will launch a campaign spotlighting people living with heart disease and survivors of sudden cardiac arrest and their inspiring stories.
• Everyday Heroes – Boston Scientific will be the presenting sponsor of the Lynx “Everyday Heroes” platform, which will recognize five community members for their contributions in the fight against heart disease.
• Choose to Move – In-game promotions will encourage fans to get up and dance during August games to join the fight against heart disease by being active.
• Build-a-Bear – The Lynx will host a Build-A-Bear event for children suffering from heart disease in September.
• Kids Clinic and Reading Timeout – Lynx players and coaches will host a basketball clinic for kids suffering from heart disease. The kids will then participate in a reading timeout with Coach Gillom.
• Close the Gap Heart Health Tip – PSAs featuring Lynx players and coaches providing facts about heart disease and a tip on improving heart health will air during home games.

Ken Rome Foundation Information

The Ken Rome Foundation supports cardiovascular research on sudden cardiac death, vulnerable plaque, and coronary artery disease. Last year your contributions supported a study at the Minneapolis Heart Institute  Foundation under the direction o f D r. Robert Schwartz. His research uses cutting edge imaging technology to better understand the effects of extreme excercise on the heart and hopes to identify athletes at risk for sudden cardiac death. He reports that the first step in treating soft plaque is to reliably identify it. These risky plaques can be seen by Cardiac CT scan. Dr.Schwartz’s research is part of a national multi-center study with the goal of identifying individuals at higher risk for sudden death.

This year, a marathon runner from Stillwater, MN enrolled in Dr. Schwartz’s study. As an active athletic individual he was convinced that his heart was healthy. Much to his surprise, he was tested and was found to have a severe blockage. He was successfully treated and now back to his normal routine- running. This testimonial indicates how your support
of the Ken Rome Foundation is truly making a difference.

2009 Sponsors of the Ken Rome Fun Run

Ken’s Story

Ken Rome died March 1, 2008 of sudden cardiac death caused by vulnerable plaque rupture, the so-called “silent killer”. Our family was devastated that this could happen to a man who was extremely conscientious and dedicated to his physical health and well being. He embraced exercise as one of the priorities in his life. Ken had a long career with the cardiac pacing industry and Boston Scientific. He was an extraordinary husband, father, grandfather and friend.

Our first annual 5K was a great success. Runners, walkers, families, children and pets came to pay tribute to Ken and celebrate his passion for life. Our family has been overwhelmed with all of the love and support you have shown us. Thank you for being part of this event. We look forward to your participation in September.

Ken’s family,
Sharon, Aaron, Kim, Abby and Max

Update on Vulnerable Plaque Research from Dr. Schwartz, Mpls. Heart

We have been very busy with work centering on detecting vulnerable coronary artery plaque in its early stages. We believe the first step in treating these plaques is to reliably identify them. We now know that plaques seen by Cardiac CT that have a risk of danger are likely ‘remodeled’, that is, they are bulky and push the artery outward.   This outward exertion forces the plaque inward. We also believe that plaques which have both a calcium component, and a ’soft’ component may be more risky, though we have not yet proven this. Other features may also identify them, and we are keen to understand more about their imaging features.
A key research question is how do we identify patients who are at risk, so we can at least get them into the Physician’s office. Toward that end, we have just completed a national multicenter study, examining whether or not certain genes (32 of them), can predict whether a patient has coronary artery disease. This test can be done from a small amount of blood, by getting DNA from a person’s white blood cells and (for now), sending it to California. We were the largest enrolling site in this study, called PREDICT. It will be presented soon, as studying these genes seem to work. The question now becomes, ‘how well’?
We at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation sincerely appreciates the support of all involved with the Ken Rome Foundation. We are doing our best to understand the causes of plaque vulnerability and to prevent its tragic outcomes.

Marathon Man’™s Heart Damaged by Running?

Marathon Man’™s Heart Damaged by Running?

Roger Carlson

Shared via AddThis

Pictures and a Huge Thank You To All Involved!

Sharon Rome Interview about Ken and the Foundation