P.A.D. Awareness Awards 2022 Go To...

Every time we hear about the 400 million Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D.) patients around the world and the number of amputations because of this debilitating disease, which restricts blood flow to the legs and feet due to plaque build-up in the arteries, we hear a resounding cry to, "Educate, educate, educate!" Go online and there are thousands of pages with hundreds of organizations offering a variety of information about P.A.D. It's the basics of P.A.D., its definition, the signs and symptoms, general treatments options, statistics, and new research. Some even portray a a myopic viewpoint from one or two patients they deem as advocates, who share their story and what worked for them - how they ate better - how they walked better - and why their doctor is the best.

It's all important information.

Despite all of the available information about P.A.D. online, available to both patients and physicians, more than 70% of patients polled by The Way To My Heart say they were misdiagnosed upon first reports of textbook P.A.D. symptoms such as leg pain, leg cramps, neuropathy, and non-healing wounds. Plus, nearly 200,000 P.A.D. related amputations, 80% of which are preventable, are being performed annually.

So where is the gap in education?

It's taking P.A.D. education from static information to sparking conversation.

That's the power of GE Healthcare with it's new film, 'The Cut."

GE Healthcare has the potential to break through the noise and make a difference in life & limb with "The Cut."

It's not your standard formulaic patient testimonial where a patient is dolled up by a make-up artist and hair stylist with perfect lighting where:

A. Patient shares a bit about their life before P.A.D.

B. Patient shares a bit about their life with P.A.D. and limits.

C. Patient either gets treatment or makes lifestyle modifications to improve their life with P.A.D.

D. Patient stands on a soapbox and tells others they should get the same treatment or make the same modifications and they will have the same improved quality of life.

Unfortunately, those testimonials are not representative of the global P.A.D. landscape.

The reality is:

• Too few are getting a timely proper diagnosis of P.A.D.
• Too few are getting timely appropriate treatment for their debilitating and advancing disease
• Too few are even getting a proper vascular assessment prior to amputation

The reality is real people are unnecessarily suffering silently due to delays in diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

GE set out to depict the reality of one of the most debilitating diseases most have never heard of yet impacts one-in-five adults over age 60, and one-in-three diabetics over age 50. In painting a candid picture of the problem, the goal of the film was to initiate conversations about real solutions leading to less suffering and fewer amputations. GE Hired world-renowned award-winning global filmmaker Mikey Kay to not only take viewers on a real-life P.A.D. journey but to explore advanced limb-saving treatment options, initiating a conversation about the lengths physicians can go to prevent amputation and the difference it has the potential to make in a patient's quality of life. In 20 minutes, they manage to raise awareness of the limb-threatening complications of Diabetes called P.A.D., infiltrate the lives of a couple impacted by it, envelope viewers into their journey, candidly painting the picture of the reality of life with P.A.D., as well as offer hope that life and limb can be saved with new tools and techniques. Not only that, this film, also featuring Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI) Fighters Dr. Jihad Mustapha and Dr. Theodosios Bisdas , sparks a conversation about...

• The reality of the all-encompassing life over-run by P.A.D., including it's debilitating pain with delays in appropriate care, the mental darkness it causes, and
• Why doctors aren't testing all diabetics sooner for P.A.D.?
• Why doctors aren't diagnosing diabetic foot as P.A.D. and performing proper vascular assessment prior to amputation?
• Why doctors are shying away from performing advanced below-the-knee and foot artery revascularization using new tools and techniques if a patient is already on deck for amputation?
• Why doctors, in knowing there are possible 'Hail Mary' options available for patients, don't either learn them or give up the patient to someone who performs them to give each patient the best chance at a better quality of life?

The film (embedded below) drives home the point that this is a very important life and limb saving discussion about the value of using advanced tools and techniques below-the-knee and into the foot if a patient is on deck for amputation.

FILM LINK: "The Cut"

GE's purpose in creating "The Cut" was clear as Storytelling & Social Media Lead Natalia Lopez tells featured P.A.D. Warrior Derrick and his wife Toni:

"We are very honored to finally being able to bring Derrick’s wonderful story to our audience and raise awareness on the complications of type 2 diabetes, peripheral artery disease, critical limb ischemia and the alternatives that exist to avoid the amputation of a limb."

Featured patient Derrick and his wife Toni's response:

"We are done crying tears of joy now.??Before Mikey Kay came to visit us, that beautiful Fall day, we prayed to be "felt" through our heart, that our story would touch hearts and save lives & limbs.??Mikey Kay could not have been more engaging and really made us feel comfortable.?He captured the truth of this horrific disease so well, we love him. The Way to my heart is such an important part of our story.?They taught us, guided us and supported us throughout this tumultuous journey toward healing.?I won't admit how many times we watched your video, lol, because we are so proud to be part of such an important message to people suffering and hopefully giving them much needed hope."

GE Healthcare's chosen filmmaker and correspondent Mikey Kay is a rare journalist who immerses himself in his story. Through his guidance, the unfolding of the story and discovery that most amputations can be prevented with advanced techniques was powerful. Even more, it's evident throughout the film how this story impacted Mikey as a human, which speaks volumes for not only the message but his character. But his passion was not left on the cutting room floor after "The Cut" was released. He has continued to spread the hope of limb salvage off camera in his other adventures in filmmaking all over the world. So far, three diabetic patients he has met since, now have hope and new connections to save their limbs.

For the game-changing conversation starter for the next wave of limb salvage, The Way To My Heart is honored to present:

Healthcare Industry P.A.D. Awareness 2022 award to GE Healthcare

P.A.D. Awareness Champion 2022 award to Mikey Kay.

The first P.A.D. Awareness award presented by The Way To My Heart was in 2020 to researcher, Sage Group's Mary Yost . The Way To My Heart’s 2020 “Lifetime Achievement Award” was presented to Mary for her unmatched efforts in Diabetes | PAD Awareness. Her research is the most widely used and quoted in justifying increased medical and innovative attention for this debilitating and deadly disease. Her "Diabetes Method," which is believed to offer the most accurate estimates of the number of people with PAD, CLI, intermittent claudication, and asymptomatic disease is referenced globally and has had a profound impact on raising awareness about just how widespread the disease is and has triggered more attention from the medical community on the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. Even more, her data showing just how widespread P.A.D. is has sparked increased innovation around the world, which has helped improve patient outcomes in the last decade. Similarly, her costs and consequences analysis of diagnosis and treatment options for PAD has led to global movement to reduce the number of amputations and help patients to live a better quality of life.

The Way To My Heart is the largest community of Peripheral Artery Disease patients in the world. We are the healthcare navigators for P.A.D. patients at the center of their shared decision-making team, guiding them through this life-long journey to living a better quality of life. We provide education, high-touch advocacy, and real-time support for P.A.D. patients, removing the barriers to timely care while reducing the number of amputations around the world and the financial burden on our healthcare system.