UConn Men’s Basketball Coach Jim Calhoun joined donors, friends, patients and staff of the Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center this week to formally dedicate a new cardiac catheterization lab at the UConn Health Center in Farmington.
“There is no greater joy for my wife Pat and I than hearing the stories of the work that happens here every day,” Coach Calhoun said. “I want to personally thank the entire staff of the cardiology center for all your work. What you are doing is changing people’s lives.”
The new cardiac lab includes state-of-the-art technologies and imaging for coronary and peripheral intervention procedures, including coronary angioplasty to open blocked arteries to stop or prevent heart attacks. Philanthropic support, including donations from the annual Calhoun Celebrity Classic golf tournament, helped to make the project possible.
“We would not be dedicating the lab today without the generous support of donors and the leadership of Coach Calhoun,” added Dr. Bruce Liang, director of the Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center and interim dean of the UConn School of Medicine.
The Health Center’s interventional cardiology program is a true source of pride for the region, Liang said, because of the staff’s expertise in sophisticated procedures such as radial artery catheterization and the management of complex peripheral vascular disease.
“With the opening of this lab, we are guaranteeing our continued excellence and ability to advance care for our patients,” he added.
Dr. Peter J. Deckers, dean emeritus of the UConn School of Medicine, echoed Liang’s praise for both the cardiology staff and deeply thanked Coach Calhoun for being an outstanding role model in philanthropy and community service.
“Jim Calhoun’s enduring legacy will be the stewardship he has provided to the thousands of young men he has coached – and the example he has set,” Deckers said.
The dedication was followed by the season premiere of the Health Center’s health and wellness lecture series, the Discovery Series, which provided life-saving information about heart attacks, featuring presentations by Dr. Peter Schulman and Dr. Stephen Lahey of the Calhoun Cardiology Center.
Follow the UConn Health Center on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
