Hollis, NH (October 16, 2023) – Heartfelt Dreams Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the treatment experience for congenital heart defect (CHD) patients and their families, is proud to announce Hidemi Kajimoto, M.D., Ph.D. as the second-ever recipient of its Advanced Cardiology Fellows Grant for 2023. Dr. Kajimoto has been awarded $5,000 in financial assistance to pursue her medical training in cardiology and critical care skills to better treat congenital heart defect patients.
Dr. Kajimoto attended college at Mie University in Japan where she earned her MD and Residency in Pediatrics. She later went on to complete her Cardiology Research fellowship at the University of Alberta. Spending the last ten years in research, she is delighted to return to patient interactions and the chance to address their personal healthcare needs.
“Dr. Kajimoto has shown relentless dedication and desire to improve treatment for CHD patients,” said Eric Ankerud, co-founder and CEO of the Heartfelt Dreams Foundation. “Her motivation to strengthen specialized training in congenital heart disease will bring a brighter future of caring for patients who battle this life-long condition. The Heartfelt Dreams Foundation is thrilled to recognize Dr. Hidemi Kajimoto as this year’s recipient of our Advanced ACHD Fellows Grant.”
The Heartfelt Dreams Foundation created the annually awarded grant to support the education, time, money, and commitment that comes with medical school and professional development.
“I am honored to receive this grant to continue on my path of improving care for CHD patients,” said Dr. Kajimoto. “I recognize that the CHD patient population is ever-growing, and I look forward to using this funding to further my research and learning in cardiac magnetic resonance studies of systemic right ventricle patients.”
The Heartfelt Dreams Foundation Advanced Cardiology Fellows Grant was created in 2022 to support training in cardiovascular medicine to better care for CHD patients. Through decades of medical and surgical treatment, specialized cardiologists have played a critical role in the care and treatment of Heartfelt Dreams Foundation Co-Founder, Lori Ankerud’s complex CHD condition. Grant recipients will be making that same difference in providing quality healthcare for congenital heart defect patients.
“Fellows can accrue massive debt due to the extensive years of training needed for ACHD sub-specialization,” said Doreen Defaria Yeh, M.D., Program Director of Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, Associate Director of the MGH Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program, and Medical Advisor to Heartfelt Dreams Foundation. “The scholarship funding provided to our future ACHD physicians via the Heartfelt Dreams ACHD Fellows Grant Program is an important initiative to support our future generation of ACHD experts, researchers, and those who will change and impact our field.”
Heartfelt Dreams Foundation strives to see every CHD patient lead a long, healthy, and meaningful life. The Foundation is committed to facilitating greater access to care and treatment for CHD patients of all ages and strengthens the network of specialty heart centers and physicians across the country. For more information about the Heartfelt Dreams Foundation Advanced Cardiology Fellows Grant, please visit www.heartfeltdreamsfoundation.org.
About Heartfelt Dreams Foundation:
Founded in 2018 by Lori and Eric Ankerud, Heartfelt Dreams Foundation (HDF) is the only nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to the dual mission of improving the CHD treatment experience for patients and families and advancing CHD education within the medical community. Congenital heart defects are the number one birth defect in the United States and there are more than two million Americans living with CHD. Heartfelt Dreams Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life for these patients and their families, increasing the number of cardiologists and medical facilities capable of properly treating CHD, and facilitating connections between patients and the medical community. Please find more information at www.heartfeltdreamsfoundation.org and follow HDF on Facebook and Twitter.
Contact: Drew Naisuler, dnaisuler@elevatecom.com, 781-858-4697
