In December 2011, Second Chance for Life board member, Bill Carlson, toured
Lowell, Inc., a company specializing in manufacturing precision parts. Bill
wanted to see first hand where some of the parts for the HeartMate II are
manufactured. The HeartMate II is a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) which
takes over some of the pumping functions of a weakened heart. It is a device
that saved Bill's life, and the lives of many other people with weakened hearts.
The LVAD kept Bill alive while he was waiting for a heart. In June 2009 Bill
received a life-saving heart transplant.
Pictured with Bill (center) are quality assurance manager, Jim Stertz (left) and manufacturing engineer, Verdeen Langland (right).
If any LVAD patients would like to take the tour
that Bill did, contact Bill and he will try to
arrange it. Bill reports that the folks at Lowell would love to see some working
LVADs.
(Lowell,
Inc. is a supporter of the Second
Chance for Life Foundation.) |
