JANUARY-MARCH 2026
*** PRESIDENT – BILL STARK
25TH ANNIVERSARY March 1, 2026
In 1999-2001, several heart patients in the Coachella Valley met with representatives at Eisenhower Medical Center to discuss formation of a Mended Hearts® Chapter. Dr. Charlie Schaeffer, Amanda Moyer NP, Carl Enzor RN and Dr. Joseph Wilson were the key Eisenhower individuals involved. Gina Edwards who became our first President, Dale Stewart Vice
President Elect, Beth Ash Secretary Elect and Jerry Abraham Treasurer Elect and others became the nucleus for the Chapter which was formally chartered March 1, 2001. Hope, Encouragement, Education were the founding principles which haven’t changed. Meetings with speakers started. Up until about eighteen years ago, the majority of contacts were with open heart surgery patients but expanded to include all types of heart issues. A cadre of 7-8 accredited visitors has done an outstanding visiting job. Membership has grown from a few to over 100. In 2011, we started a visiting program at Desert Regional Medical Center following the same principles. Director of Volunteer Services Rebecca Dierker-Bosco, RN, Dr. Steve Gundry, Amy Guiterrez, RN our hospital liaison Ed Trost and several others were instrumental in this effort. Up until COVID, we had 3-solid accredited visitors, currently only one. Educational lectures and meetings are held from October -June in-person and on ZOOM.
There have been five Presidents, five Vice Presidents/Program Chairs, six Secretary’s, eight Treasurer’s, twelve Visiting Chairs, ten Membership Chairs, five Newsletter Editors, two Fund Raisers two Email Coordinators and two Desert Regional Hospital Liaisons over the 25 years since chartered. These positions constitute our Board. The visiting and educational programs have touched the lives of thousands of patients and family members at Eisenhower Health, Desert Regional Medical Center and other places. Our wonderful cardiac nurse scholarship program has awarded 64 scholarships for nurses pursuing a BS, MS or Nurse Practitioner between the two hospitals.
Although this history of Chapter 281 is brief, A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR BOARD AND REGULAR MEMBERS, MEETING ATTENDEES, ACCREDITED VISITORS, DOCTORS, NURSES, ADMINISTRATORS, ANNENBERG CENTER STAFF, HOSPITALITY AND MARKETING AT BOTH HOSPITALS FOR THEIR AMAZING SUPPORT AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FIRST TWENTY-FIVE YEARS. WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE EXCITING YEARS AHEAD.
*** CARL RUSHING – VICE PRESIDENT/PROGRAMS
All of our programs, unless otherwise noted, take place in the Annenberg Health Sciences Building on the second Thursday of each month, October through June. To learn more about current and upcoming chapter EVENTS visit our chapter web page (https://bit.ly/MendedHeartsCoachellaValley).
Join us from 6:00–8:00 p.m. for a lecture—attend in person or via Zoom—followed by our Chapter support discussion. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect personally with the speaker, meet with fellow heart patients, caregivers, and supporters, and share experiences in a safe and encouraging environment.
In partnership with Eisenhower Health, we are proud to bring you engaging topics, inspiring speakers and meaningful conversations designed to provide HOPE, ENCOURAGEMENT and EDUCATION as you continue your heart journey.
Everyone is welcome—members, family, friends, and the public. Light refreshments will be served. Registration for each lecture is kindly requested. We encourage you to mark your calendars and join us for these uplifting and informative evenings.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2026, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Topic To Be Determined
Dr. Michael Bagheri, MD, is a Cardiovascular Disease (Cardiology) specialist in Palm Desert, California. He is affiliated with many hospitals including Desert Regional Medical Center and Eisenhower Medical Center.
When the newsletter went to print, Dr. Michael Bagheri’s topics was not yet confirmed. Please refer to our chapter web page (https://www.bit.ly/MendedHeartsCoachellaValley), Eisenhower Health calendar (Eisenhower Health Calendar), and the Desert Sun for the latest scheduling.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2026, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
Dr. Andrew D. Frutkin, MD, is an Interventional Cardiologist affiliated with Eisenhower Medical Center and the Eisenhower Desert Cardiology Center in Rancho Mirage, California, specializing in procedures like TAVR and treating conditions such as heart attack and heart valve disease.
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2026, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Topic To Be Determined
When the newsletter went to print, speaker and topic were not yet confirmed. Please refer to our chapter web page (https://www.bit.ly/MendedHeartsofCoachellaValley), Eisenhower Health calendar (Eisenhower Health Calendar (https://eisenhowerhealth.org/news/calendar/), and Desert Sun for the latest scheduling.
NOTE: THIS MAY BE THE LAST PRINTED NEWSLETTER AS WE ARE
TRANSITIONING TO PUBLISHING IT ON OUR WEB PAGE. WATCH FOR THE
APRIL-JUNE 2026 NEWSLETTER ON OUR WEB PAGE NOTED ABOVE.
*** SECRETARY – FAYE CHOW
MEETING MINUTES OCTOBER 9, 2025
REPLACING THE AORTIC VALVE WITHOUT OPEN HEART SURGERY
Dr. Puneet K. Khanna, MD, Board Certified in
Interventional Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disease
Dr. Khanna first thanked the Mended Hearts Volunteers for their contribution to the care of heart patients who are anxious and worried about their surgery; after speaking with the volunteers, they go into the operating room with a positive energy that has a positive effect in their outcome. He believes that the volunteers should receive greater recognition for the impact they have on the patients’ well being. Dr. Khanna then described the development of the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) program at Eisenhower Health, which began in 2015 with Dr. Khanna and Dr. Frutkin, adding Dr. Panguluri 5 years later, and more recently, Dr. Sharma, and also includes a very proficient staff. The first patient was a 92-year-old gentleman who was diagnosed with severe aortic valve stenosis and medical frailty. The entire team of cardiac specialists evaluated the patient and agreed that, since open heart surgery would not be appropriate, he was a candidate for the TAVR procedure. The procedure was successful and he was able to leave the hospital after two days, with all the heart symptoms resolved completely. In the early years of TAVR treatment, only hi-risk patients were considered appropriate for the procedure. Later, the FDA approved it for less sick patients, and today, because the procedure is so effective and less invasive, and also has better outcomes than open heart surgery, it has been approved for all patients. It is estimated that they will be performing from 250 – 275 TAVR procedures this year at Eisenhower Health, the second largest provider of TAVR treatment in Southern California. He projects that in the future they will be performing between 400 – 500 cases/year. Dr. Khanna proceeded to demonstrate with slides and videos of the procedure, how a catheter tube carrying a compressed new valve is inserted into an appropriate artery (eg, carotid, subclavian, femoral) and cautiously forced all the way into the heart via the aorta where it is then inserted directly into the failing aortic valve and expanded into place by inflating a balloon that is then retracted. They have refined the procedure to the point that the entire procedure can be performed in less than 60 minutes and an anesthetic is not required for the patient. Additional applications of the procedure have been developed so that new valves can be inserted into non-functional valves previously inserted under open heart surgery, and a modified technique has been developed to insert new mitral valves. Of the valves that are currently available, the one they prefer and continue to have success with is manufactured in Orange County. The team at Eisenhower is renowned for its expertise in performing this procedure, such that their surgeons regularly fly out to other locations in the country to train other surgeons. They have performed more than 1600 cases at EH so far, and are in the “Benchmark Program” which means they are in the top 7% in North America. They are also the only site in the country that Edwards, the manufacturer of the valve, recommends to hospitals to provide live demonstrations, so teams are flying in on a regular basis. The Mayo Clinic has also requested a visit. After finishing the presentation, Dr. Khanna answered a number of questions from the audience.
MEETING MINUTES: NOVEMBER 13, 2025
The twenty-sixth in a series of meetings starting October, 2022, held in partnership with the Community Education Department at Eisenhower Health (EH), was conducted via Zoom and in-person at the Annenberg Health Sciences Building on November 13, 2025. Attendees: 38 in-person and 7 via Zoom. Vice President Carl Rushing opened the meeting at 6:00 PM, turning the meeting over immediately to President Bill Stark for an award ceremony. Bill then presented to chapter accredited visitor, Dick Freiman, the award from the National Office of Mended Hearts, Inc. for “Western Regional Accredited Visitor of the Year, 2024”. Carl then proceeded to describe the format of our meeting and invited members and visitors to stay after its conclusion for refreshments and support groups. He introduced the speaker, Dr. David Choe, distinguished cardiologist at Eisenhower, specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease, emphasizing advances in patient care, education, and innovation.
DIAGNOSIS OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE
DR. DAVID CHOE, MD, FACC
It was with the goal of keeping the Coachella Valley residents’ hearts as healthy as possible and to keep the people alive and healthy, that Dr. Choe joined the team of cardiologists at Eisenhower Health, eleven years ago. One of the problems that existed then, and still does, is that there is no way to determine if a person is going to have a heart attack in the near future, or in 6 months, or a year. The ideal test or “risk assessment” would be to be able to predict when a heart attack is impending in order to prevent it. However, this is difficult, partly due to the individual variability among people. After describing the important function of the two coronary arteries in providing oxygen-rich blood to the heart, Dr. Choe then proceeded to describe in detail the different tests used to determine if their function is impeded. Among these are the STRESS TEST, ANGINA, NUCLEAR TESTING, and THE CORONARY ARTERY CALCIUM SCORE. Surprisingly, even though a person may have blockage in their coronary arteries, when they need to produce more energy, the blood flow will increase to meet the need. This is referred to as “over capacity”. In a number of studies, it was found that in patients who had stents to prevent blockage, vs patients who had blockage but no stents, there was no difference in the longevity of the subjects. It may, however affect one’s lifestyle. Dr. Choe recommended that patients should follow the instructions of their cardiologists, always take their medications, eat a
healthy diet, and get plenty of exercise. He then answered questions from the audience that provided much pertinent information for individual conditions.
The Zoom portion of the lecture ended at 7:20 PM. A break for refreshments followed, and guests were encouraged to speak to chapter accredited visitors with other questions they may have, as well as follow-up questions with Dr. Choe.
***VISITING CHAIR – BILL STARK
Welcome back to our visitor Kristi Maletis who again will assume Thursday afternoon visiting. Theresa is rejoining as my partner Thursday mornings. Welcome also Lucia Balbini in training. We hope Michael Wolfes will soon be able to resume his weekend warrior role. Gary Eleman, a snow bird and visitor from another Chapter, is rounding with our mentors for an afternoon position. So pleased to have all you join the visiting group. NOW – WE URGENTLY NEED MORE VISITORS AT DESERT REGIONAL. PLEASE CALL BILL STARK FOR MORE INFORMATION.
***FUNDRAISING – DAN & INGRID TWOHEY
WINEWOMEN PSP WINE DINNER
Our December 8 wine dinner at Wildest in Palm Desert was a big success. Nearly 60 people attended and Mended Hearts members were well represented. 25% of the night’s proceeds went to our chapter and we were able to raise about $2,000 for our scholarship fund. Bill Stark had the opportunity to brief attendees about the mission of Mended Hearts, our visitor program as well as our scholarship fund for cardiac care nurses.
The evening began with an offering of 4 different appetizers served with a white wine from Apain. A four-course dinner followed with wines from Monterey, North Coast and Napa Valley paired with a salad, scallops, venison and a dessert. This event was a great opportunity to have a wonderful meal, share the message about Mended Hearts, and help our scholarship fund.
Many thanks to WINEWOMEN PSP for sponsoring Mended Hearts at this event, as well as members of Mended Hearts for publicizing and attending our dinner.
DESERT REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER AUXILIARY
On October 28,2025, a wonderful grant of $2,000.00 was awarded from the Auxiliary in support of our Cardiac Nurse Scholarship Program at both Desert Regional Medical Center and Eisenhower Medical Center.
“We are honored to contribute to the meaningful work you do. Your dedication and impact reflect the very values our Auxiliary strives to promote – service, compassion, and community care.”
Both of these funds will be added to our on-going efforts to once again award scholarships planed in 2026. To donate to the Mended Hearts of Coachella Valley’s nursing scholarship fund please visit (https://bit.ly/MendedHeartsofCoachellaValley-Donate).
***MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN – DICK FREIMAN
Greetings members, here’s hoping you all had a great Holiday and Happy New Year.
Upon examining our current membership, many of the members’ dues have lapsed. Please review your membership status and bring yours up-to-date. National also sends reminders to every member. If you’re not receiving these reminders, please let me know. To submit your national dues, go to www.mendedhearts.org. Click on join button and follow instructions. If you choose one of the paid levels which are indicated on the membership form attached on the last page of our Newsletter, our chapter receives a 25% share from National.
Please consider making an additional donation to our chapter 281. We have operational expenses such as office supplies, etc. and depend on your donations to provide scholarships for our cardiac nurses at Eisenhower Health and Desert Regional. Many scholarships have been awarded throughout the years by our chapter. Please make checks payable to Mended Hearts of
Coachella Valley® Chapter #281. Donations will be deposited by our chapter Treasurer, Liz Young, 78310 Willowrich Dr. Palm Desert, CA. 92211.
Prior to our meetings, we have a phone committee who contacts our members to remind them of the date and time. For the past 2 years I’ve been trying, but have been unsuccessful in recruiting anyone. If you could please spare some time to help out, please contact. Also, if you have any questions regarding membership dues, please call or e-mail me.
Dick Freiman (760) 501-5096 / dickfreiman@gmail.com
“MENDING MORE THAN HEARTS” – MARGARET MANSON
My journey, like so many of your stories, began suddenly, unexpectedly, and without warning. It was January 2023 and I woke up in the night with my heart racing. I had never experienced this before and had absolutely no idea what was happening. It scared me enough that my wife and I felt I needed to get to the emergency room, which is exactly where we landed. What was interesting about this visit was that I was suddenly thrust into the medical world of cardiology. No, I did not have a cardiologist and had never been under the care of a cardiologist, so this was uncharted territory. I stayed in the hospital two days and had every imaginable heart test. Of course by now my heart seemed to be just fine. Before I left the hospital, not Eisenhower, a local cardiologist was recommended to me. In following up with him, I wore a halter monitor for two weeks.
By then, I was feeling fine and we were making last minute preparations to go to South Africa and Zimbabwe. The Monday before we were to leave on Thursday, the doctor’s PA called and said unbeknownst to me, that I had had a 7.5 hour episode of Afib and needed to start Eliquis that day. I did have the presence of mind to ask about leaving for Africa on Thursday in light of this new development. I was told “No problem, have a great trip!” Thus began my attempt to navigate heart health in the Coachella Valley.
Later that fall, not feeling that I was able to get the answers I needed from my local cardiologist, I called Eisenhower for a referral. I was fortunate enough to get an appointment with Dr. Diamantakos who told me, much to my relief, “I’ve got you and I will take care of you.” Given the uncertainty of the previous months, this was exactly what I needed to hear.
Dr. Diamantakos addressed my Afib which was now more apparent and discussed with me the possibility of an ablation procedure. My previous cardiologist had inserted a loop monitor early on and I was greatly relieved when Dr. D said he did not think that was necessary at this time. So, out it came. During the diagnostic and mapping tests in preparation for an ablation procedure to address my Afib, another surprise emerged.
Like my Afib, I had absolutely no symptoms of aortic stenosis, but that is what was clearly seen in the diagnostic tests. Dr. D recommended me to Dr. Khanna and once again I was extremely fortunate to have such fine medical care. I had an angiogram and other tests, a consultation with another cardiologist and ultimately the team decided that I was a good candidate for the TAVR procedure to replace my leaky aortic valve. Following all these consultations, I did ask Dr. D “Who is my cardiologist?” He said, “I am. Think of it this way. Dr. Khanna is the plumber and I am the electrician.” And given my now history of arrhythmias, I needed the ongoing care of an electrician. I had my TAVR procedure on May 29, 2024. It had been quite a year getting to this point. I had the support of not only my cardiologist but of the heart valve clinic coordinators and probably some of the kindest people I have ever met. Thankfully the TAVR was a complete success and the day after my procedure I was visited by members of Mended Hearts.
I cannot express how important this Mended Hearts visit was for me and in many ways I was the perfect person to visit. My procedures went well, I had a lot of anxiety and uncertainty, and hearing the calm supportive voices of Mended Hearts went a long way in making me feel that there is life after the cardiac unit at Eisenhower and in many ways an even better life.
My doctors recommended cardiac rehab and as soon as I was given the OK, I began that process. It is probably one of the best things I did. Not only did it get me physically active again, it gave me the confidence that I could do the things I enjoy. I have always considered myself healthy and physically active, but quite frankly I felt uncertain about what I could safely do in light of my cardiac issues. Rehab was the perfect place, under close supervision and care, to reestablish a healthy relationship with my body.
In September 2024 I finally had an ablation procedure and once again everything went well. And while I am still being followed routinely by both of my doctors, I have basically been given a clean bill of health. And while I think I am believing this more and more, I am still on the road to recovery emotionally and psychologically.
Somewhere in this journey and probably because of the kindness I was shown by Mended Hearts, I too wanted to give back the compassion I had received. In addition to being able to speak to patients about the TAVR and other procedures I have had, I have wanted to bring a clear understanding of the emotional impact these cardiac issues can have on individuals and their families. This understanding given to me by my Mended Heart visitors is what inspired me to begin the process of becoming an accredited visitor at Eisenhower. It has been extremely rewarding.
BOARD MEMBERS
PRESIDENT
BILL STARK
760-777-3062
bstarkdest@verizon.net
VICE PRESIDENT/PROGRAMS
CARL RUSHING
404-610-8922
carl.w.rushing@gmail.com
SECRETARY
FAYE CHOW
760-341-5706
jaimeandfaye@verizon.net
TREASURER
LIZ YOUNG
760-409-8181
iblizy3@aol.com
MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN
DICK FREIMAN
760-501-5096
dickfreiman@gmail.com
VISITING CHAIRMAN
BILL STARK
760-777-3062
bstarkdest@verizon.net
EMAIL COORDINATOR
DAVID DIBLEY
650-452-8844
dibleyda@hotmail.com
FUND RAISING
DAN & INGRID TWOHEY
925-348-3295
510-703-5495
twohey1@hotmail.com
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
CAROLE STARK
760-772-1461
bstarkdest@verizon.net