10/ 11/ 05 Have a little heart...

CowParade is pleased to announce its participation in Heart Beat of Our Community, a special event that will take place in 2006 in its home state of Connecticut produced in partnership with the Danbury Hospital of Danbury, Connecticut. Yes, for the first time ever CowParade will participate in a non-bovine art event.

What exactly is Heart Beat of Our Community? Heart Beat of Our Community is a public art event organized and produced by the Danbury Hospital and CowParade featuring three-dimensional, fiberglass heart sculptures. The heart sculptures will be painted and designed by Danbury-area and Connecticut artists and then displayed in public venues in the Danbury area. At the conclusion of the public display, the hearts will be sold by private sale and auction, with proceeds benefiting the the Danbury Hospital Development Fund for the benefit of the Praxair Regional Heart and Vascular Center.

Calling All Artists. Local artists interested in designing a heart for the Heartbeat of our Community exhibit, should contact Jennifer Ferraiuolo at jennifer.ferraiuolo@danhosp.org or 203.739.7806, or Amy Grabowski at agrabowski@aldrichart.org or (203) 438-4519.

Sponsorship Opportunities Available. Please contact Ron Fox at rfox@cowparade.com or 860-561-0000 x12 if you are interested in becoming an event sponsor. More details will soon be available on this website.

More About Danbury Hospital and Heartbeat of Our Community.

Frank J. Kelly, Danbury Hospital and Danbury Health Systems president and chief executive officer, and Dr. Andrew Keller, the hospital’s chief of cardiology, announced the hospital will soon begin providing angioplasty services at The Praxair Regional Heart and Vascular Center. During a briefing at the hospital today, Kelly also announced the first-ever “Heart Parade” titled “Heartbeat of Our Community.” This unique exhibit will feature over fifty whimsical hearts decorated by local artists. The three-dimensional hearts, designed by CowParade, creator of the popular international shows of the same name, are expected to draw local and regional attention.

The Praxair Regional Heart and Vascular Center at Danbury Hospital performed its first open heart surgery on January 24, 2005, and since has performed more than 122 procedures, including heart bypass, and valve replacement and repair. With angioplasty services, the full spectrum of cardiac, thoracic and vascular care is available.

“Heart disease is the leading killer of men and women,” Kelly said. “Because early detection and care is critical to healthy outcomes, Danbury Hospital has fought for many years to bring these life-saving medical services to the region. Success is due, in great part, to the support of our communities. More than 30,000 people provided original signatures and letters of support during our campaign. Hundreds of others told their personal stories at a public hearing and at many community forums. The Heartbeat of our Community strikes us as something people of all ages will enjoy. Of course, we’re also excited about the connection of the exhibit to our new cardiovascular center and to heart health education.” Kelly also thanked Ridgefield’s Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum for assisting with the overall organization of the event.

Danbury Hospital to Offer Angioplasty Services.

Danbury Hospital Chief of Cardiology, Dr. Andrew Keller, noted during his remarks today that Danbury Hospital has earned a reputation for delivering the highest quality care. “For example, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid recently noted the hospital’s outstanding performance rates in various areas of myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure,” noted Dr. Keller.

Dr. Susan Mani, Medical Director of the Women’s HeartAdvantage Program, outlined her plans for outreach programs to educate women about their heart health. The Director of Interventional Cardiology and the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Dr. Hal Wasserman, stated that the Hospital is fully prepared to offer angioplasty services and he also described the extensive experience of the angioplasty team.

Danbury Hospital commissioned CowParade to create the unique 2.5’ x 3’ fiberglass hearts to be designed by approximately 50 local artists. The hearts will be unveiled at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum around Valentines Day. They will then travel to the hospital and to local towns in the region, including Bethel, Brookfield, Danbury, New Fairfield, Newtown, Redding, Ridgefield and Southbury. In May, the hearts will be auctioned and the funds raised will go to the Danbury Hospital Development Fund for the benefit of the Praxair Regional Heart and Vascular Center.

Danbury Hospital History.

For 120 years, Danbury Hospital’s mission in western Connecticut and nearby New York has been to advance the health and well-being of people in the community in partnership with those it serves. In 2004, Solucient, a leading source of health care business intelligence, placed Danbury Hospital among the 100 Top Hospitals for better patient safety, shorter length of stay and lower mortality (death rate) than its peer hospitals. As the primary provider for a population of 350,000, the 371-bed community teaching hospital and regional medical center maintains centers of excellence and specialized programs for emergency and trauma care, surgery, cancer, cardiovascular services, digestive disorders, radiology, laboratory medicine, maternity, neonatal and pediatric medicine, sleep disorders, asthma management, diabetes, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and behavioral health care. For more information, visit danburyhospital.org.

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