From our President.....
I grew up on a farm in Rupert Idaho and have had firsthand experience with Herford Cattle and when Winter comes I think of this story by Elaine Cannon in her book Adversity. When I face hard things I put my head down and mentally turn and face the storm and it really helps.
“An old cowboy said he had learned life’s most important lessons from Hereford cows. All his life he had worked cattle ranches where winter storms took a heavy toll among the herds. Freezing rains whipped across the prairies. Howling, bitter winds piled snow into enormous drifts. Temperatures might drop quickly to below zero degrees. Flying ice cut into the flesh. In this maelstrom of nature’s violence most cattle would turn their backs to the ice blasts and slowly drift downwind, mile upon mile. Finally, intercepted by a boundary fence, they would pile up against the barrier and die by the scores.
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“But the Herefords acted differently. Cattle of this breed would instinctively head into the windward end of the range. There they would stand shoulder-to-shoulder facing the storm’s blast, heads down against its onslaught. (“Mended Hearts will stand with you”’)
“‘You always found the Herefords alive and well,’ said the cowboy.
‘I guess it’s the greatest lesson I ever learned on the prairies—just face life’s storms’” (Adversity [1987], 133–34).
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Similarly, if we face up to our individual adversities or hardships, they can become a source of blessing. God will not give us adversities we cannot handle, and he will bless us richly for patiently doing the best we can in the circumstances.
Join us April 16, 2025 to hear Dr. Hinchman speak on Amyloidosis
Amyloidosis is a rare disease characterized by a buildup of abnormal amyloid deposits in the body. Amyloid deposits can build up in the heart, brain, kidneys, spleen and other parts of the body.
Dr. Hinchman is a general cardiologist providing preventative cardiac care, cholesterol, coronary and heart failure management and advanced cardiac imaging including 3D transesophageal echocardiography. He also brings cutting-edge research to his practice having participated as Principal Investigator in over 100 cardiovascular clinical trials over the past 22 years.
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Dr. Hinchman is a co-founder of High Desert Heart & Vascular in Meridian, Idaho.
Upcoming Speakers.....
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Note: Beginning in 2025 our meetings will begin earlier at 2:00pm ​​
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April 16, 2025 - Dr. D. Hinchman of High Desert Heart & Vascular speaking on Amyloidosis
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May 21, 2025 Jenny Hollon, CNP -electrical patterns in the heart
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June, 2025 Annual Summer Picnic - no meeting but everyone is welcome to attend our annual picnic.
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Our monthly meetings are on the third Wednesday of each month in the Meadowlake Medical Plaza 3525 E Louise Dr, Meridian, ID 83642​ 5th floor conference room starting at 2:00pm. See Google Map of the location
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If you have any questions, contact us
Recent Speakers Notes....
If you missed a recent meeting, you can review the speaker's presentation and notes :​​​​​
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November Meeting
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Watch on our You Tube Channel​​
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January Meeting​​
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Watch meeting on You Tube
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February Meeting
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Watch conversation with Josh, Lifestyle Medicine Director at St Lukes.
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March Meeting
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Meeting Minutes - coming soon
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Why Grief is a sign of Life, Healing and Mending presentation by Dr. Cockburn
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Watch meeting and presentation recording on You Tube
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Members of Chapter 380 can access the archive of all past meetings from the Member's Page in the main menu.
Mended Hearts of Boise - Get to know us....
Our mission is to inspire hope and improve the quality of life of heart patients and their families through ongoing peer-to-peer support, education, and advocacy.
Maybe you were recently diagnosed with heart disease or had a heart event. You may have been prescribed a new medication, or just had heart surgery or other medical procedures. Now you might be feeling overwhelmed, scared, confused and alone. We want you to know that no matter what your diagnosis is or how you found us, Mended Hearts® is here to provide support, education and to advocate for you and with you. No one should have to walk this path alone! We are here in person in the Boise area to provide peer support and education as you learn to live with heart disease. We want to walk with you as you journey with a mended heart.
We view managing heart disease as a marathon, not a sprint. Living a healthy life isn’t something we can do in weeks, months or even years; it is something we must work toward throughout our lifetime. We can learn so much from one another and it's not such a lonely journey when you are not alone.
Member's Corner
Get to know our Chapter Members and Their Heart Stories
Our Unsung Heros
It takes a cast of many to keep our chapter running smoothly. We wanted to highlight a few of our unsung heros who are daily making a difference in our community:
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Adrienne and Dennis Shiedlak - Dennis and Adrienne joined Mended Hearts after Dennis experienced a heart event. They now ensure all if our hospital locations stocked with the supplies used by our Accredited Visitors. We have visitors at St. Lukes and St. Alphonsus locations in Boise, Meridian, and Nampa which means Adrienne and Dennis supply newsletters and brochures to all these locations on a weekly basis. They also visit monthly at St. Lukes Cardiac Rehab in Meridian speaking to 65-75 patients going through the Rehab program telling them about Mended Hearts...all in one very long day from 7 am to 3 pm.
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Pat Toschoff - Pat, our Program Chair, responsible for scheduling speakers at our meetings- a challenging task that involves working with the schedules of very busy doctors, specialists, and experts to make sure each meeting features an informative presentation. She also distributes brochures and newsletters to area cardiologist's offices for distribution to patients. Having cared for her husband during his illness, she is a dedicated advocate for those supporting a spouse or loved one through their health journey.
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Wini Trapp - Wini, our Corresponding Secretary, sends birthday, get well, and sympathy cards to our members, helping to lift spirits and maintain connections within our community.
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Becky Newberry - Our Membership chair and Treasurer who keeps track of all the email addresses for use in sending newsletters to over 500 people each quarter. She sends welcome letters to each new person requesting information about our Chapter and Mended Hearts. Sends meeting reminders to everyone and helps keep everything running smoothly.
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Our Accredited visitors - This group of 8 individuals led by Jack Marr visits in our area hospitals bringing personal note of hope and encouragement to heart patients.
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Diabetes and Your Heart
Provided by Bryan Walters, RN, BRN, CCRP
St Lukes Cardiac Rehab Nampa
