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"It's Great to Be Alive" ..... and Help Others!

Our History

Mended Hearts is an international, non-profit, self-help organization for those who have or have had any heart problems, their families, friends, and interested persons. You need not have had heart disease to become a member or the Mended Hearts.

Mended Hearts was founded in 1951 by four post-operative surgical patients at a hospital in Boston who wanted to share their experience and calm fears in others who have either had surgery or were facing surgery. Under the guidance of Dwight E. Harken, M.D., Cardiologist, they set guidelines and procedures for the forming of Mended Hearts and incorporated in 1955 with a motto..... "It's Great to Be Alive" ..... and Help Others!

We have grown to an international status, with heart support groups based on Mended Hearts in 8-10 countries around the world. Where there is no chapter affiliation, we have MAL's (MEMBERS-AT-LARGE).

In the beginning, we designated surgical patients as active members, while associate members consisted of our families, friends, physicians, cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, nurses, clergymen, or anyone else interested in the Mended Hearts' objectives and goals. Today, although we do keep a record of those who have had heart problems, we make no distinction between members. We are all members of The Mended Hearts, Inc.


The Mended Hearts, Inc. is an affiliate of the American Heart Association.
Copyright 2000 The Mended Hearts, Inc.