Over 350 participants attended the first annual “Saving Young Lives” medical conference presented by the Saint Barnabas Health Care System, focusing on preventing Pediatric Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD), a topic of special interest to health care providers. Included among the participants were pediatricians, pediatric cardiologists, pediatric neurologists, developmental pediatricians, pediatric psychiatrists, family practice physicians, pediatric nurses and school nurses.
Pictured at the conference (l to r) are Curt J. Daniels, MD, Michael Landzberg, MD, David O. Childers, Jr., MD and Mr. Roy Bumsted.
The conference, held in March at Mayfair Farms in West Orange, was a joint effort of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of NJ at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, the Saint Barnabas Medical Center’s Department of Pediatrics and The Children’s Hospital of Monmouth Medical Center, all affiliates of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System.
The inspiration for the event came from the family of R. Remmey Bumsted, IV, of Madison, NJ, who was an active and seemingly healthy 23-year-old when he suffered from Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) due to unsuspected congenital heart disease in February, 2008. Hoping to help save others from similar tragedy, Remmey’s family helped to fund the “Saving Young Lives” Pediatric Education Conference in their son’s memory.
Speaking on behalf of his family, Mr. Bumsted recalled his son as an athlete, school president and caring friend who had excellent medical care throughout his life. “Who would have thought to test such a robust young man with no prior symptoms for a cardiac condition?” he reflected. The Bumsted family decided to sponsor the “Saving Young Lives” conference to further educate physicians throughout New Jersey about the incidence of SCD and ways to diagnose and prevent it.
“If Remmey was standing here with me tonight, I know he would tell you that if just one of you can use something you learn tonight to help save just one of your patients it would justify the entire exercise,” Mr. Bumsted told the audience. “He would say you have the power of one – the power to make a difference – the power to save young lives, like his.”
A distinguished panel of nationally-recognized specialists discussed confronting Pediatric SCD. The conference also focused on the issue of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and the potential for cardiac complications with medications used in its treatment when there is undetected congenital heart disease. Among the speakers were Curt J. Daniels, MD, Director of Adolescent and Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio; Michael Landzberg, MD, Founder and Director of the Boston Adult Congenital Heart and Pulmonary Hypertension Service at Children’s Hospital of Boston; and David O. Childers, Jr., MD, Chief of Developmental Pediatrics at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville, Florida.
Mark J. Zucker, MD, JD, Director of the Heart Failure Treatment and Transplant Program at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and one of two adult cardiologists providing care at the Center for Adults with Congenital Heart Disease at Newark Beth Israel, applauded the conference as, “A united endeavor to confront the growing number of children with congenital heart problems who become young adults and still need specialized care.”
Joshua Rosenblatt, MD, Chair, Department of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of NJ at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and the Medical Center’s Director of Academic Affairs, emphasized the importance of targeting all physicians, nurses and health care providers involved in the care of children. “Our goal was to educate physicians and other health care providers about the incidence of SCD, how to detect it and strategies to prevent its occurrence.”
Proceeds from the conference will benefit the Remmey Bumsted Congenital Heart Disease Fund at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.
Date : April 14, 2010
CONTACT: Lisa Blumert
(973) 322-4921
