The donation will establish the Joseph F. Novogratz Family Heart Rhythm Center, named for the family of donors who made the center possible. Novogratz received care for his own atrial fibrillation.
“I’ve been through a lot and had the privilege of receiving great care, which led me to want to
support this important research to benefit my family and so many other families in
future,” said Joseph Novogratz, a longtime supporter of MHIF. “I am convinced that this is progress
will be fantastic in the future. If I can support research that continues to help doctors
understand heart rhythm conditions, this gift will make a difference in the lives of others
people. I look forward to seeing continued innovation in my life because of the awesomeness
the pace of advancing research.”
The Joseph F. Novogratz Family Heart Rhythm Center will accelerate and fund research focused on three areas related to irregular heart rhythm conditions: sudden cardiac death, atrial fibrillation, and cardiac implantable devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators.
It is estimated that by 2030, 12.1 million Americans will have atrial fibrillation, contributing to 158,000 deaths a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Alicia Bravo is an ER nurse at Hennepin County Medical Center and former triathlete who went into sudden cardiac arrest while swimming. She sees a cardiologist at the Minneapolis Heart Institute—Dr. Jay Sengupta, who has been involved in cardiac arrhythmia research for years.
Sengupta will also be the director of the Joseph F. Novogratz Family Heart Rhythm Center.
Bravo is working to raise money to buy defibrillators and teach people CPR for free. She calls the mission “Be Brave” because everyone around her was brave enough to start CPR and call 911 for help. Alicia encourages everyone to sign up for a CPR class through the American Red Cross.