Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans. One half of people die from heart disease, one quarter from cancer and one quarter from all other diseases and causes. Every 34 seconds someone dies of a heart attack. Strokes afflict 550,000 people each year and more than 4 million are suffering its aftermath.

The No. 1 reason people give to charitable causes is to make a difference in peoples lives. Since so many families are touched by cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks, stroke and vascular disease, the University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center has incredible potential to improve the health and wellness of countless people and to impact humanity in compelling ways.

The more that is known about the mysteries of the human body and the intricate cardiovascular system, the more potential exists for helping those stricken by heart and vascular disease. As a Center of Excellence at the UA College of Medicine, the Sarver Heart Center has gathered a group of preeminent researchers dedicated to the vision of "… a future free of heart and vascular disease."

Improved methods of diagnosis, treatment, prevention and ultimate cures for heart attacks, strokes and vascular blockages will help to eliminate the tremendous pain and suffering caused by these diseases. By generating new knowledge through research, sharing that knowledge through professional and public education and applying the knowledge through superb care of patients, the UA Sarver Heart Center is a powerful change agent for society.

Philanthropic contributions are critical in advancing the mission of the Sarver Heart Center. Much of the cost of educating future heart doctors is funded by student tuition and from state and federal sources. Likewise, clinical care costs are billable by faculty and staff to individual patients as they are incurred. Research funding, on the other hand, is increasingly challenging to obtain and difficult to sustain. Donations in support of cardiovascular research provide the margin of excellence, allowing the 100 scientists and doctors comprising the Sarver Heart Center to make continued progress that would otherwise not be possible.

Contributions from supporters, friends and grateful patients enable scientific teams to advance their projects in ways not possible through sole reliance on grant funding. Young investigators with innovative and creative ideas can begin to test their approaches and to gather preliminary support for a full program of research. Senior faculty members also benefit from private gifts, as they are able to advance their area of research focus by procuring needed equipment and supplies, hiring new and specialized staff, or collaborating with other university scientists working on similar issues or projects.