Association of Black Cardiologists Providing its Unique Medical Care and Aid to Katrina Evacuees

Business Wire, Sept 8, 2005

ATLANTA -- To urgently assist patients affected by Hurricane Katrina, the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) is furnishing health screening and more importantly, recreating medical records of evacuees by an unprecedented outreach of its 600 members. ABC's objective for thousands of individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina is identifying medical conditions (heart failure, hypertension and diabetes), local primary care referrals and the resumption of healthcare regimens including ensuring a supply of appropriate prescription medicines.

Waine Kong, CEO of ABC, said that Keith Ferdinand, MD, former Chairman of the Board and an eminent New Orleans cardiologist will direct the culturally sensitive medical outreach, together with his wife, Daphne Ferdinand, PhD, APRN, a clinical nurse specialist. "Our members, including nurses have served this population, we know them, and we care for them in good times and bad," Kong said. "Keith and Daphne are victims of Hurricane Katrina and know first-hand about the destruction and the depth of loss suffered by our patients and other members like him. The only way to restore balance is to extend ourselves to those in need," said Dr. Paul Underwood, ABC's president.

ABC is also marshalling humanitarian aid to Hurricane Katrina evacuee havens across America. Aid, in the form of food, clothing, personal care items, transportation, and counseling and basic health exams is being furnished directly to evacuees by volunteers among ABC members and staff, through its ABC Hurricane Relief Fund, together with National Medical Association, Atlanta Metro Concerned Black Clergy and CHOICES churches in Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, and Phoenix, and the Congressional Black Caucus. "Donations to the relief fund will serve immediate, urgent need for patients and their families, irrespective of whether evacuees were under ABC members' previous care," said Kong.

ABC is also collaborating with NitroMed, the maker of the heart failure medicine known as BiDil. NitroMed has committed to making BiDil available to all patient-evacuees regardless of their ability to pay through its NitroMed Cares program. NitroMed and its employees are contributing money to the ABC Hurricane Relief Fund.

Donations to the Association of Black Cardiologists Hurricane Relief Fund may be made securely at the www.Abcardio.org or 6849 B-2 Peachtree Dunwoody Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30328.