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Boehl
to begin ‘Save A Heart’ ride
by Cindy Abole
Public Relations
Don’t be surprised if you pass a couple of cyclists peddling along
South Carolina’s rural roads this week. One of them might be MUSC Heart
Transplant Clinic nurse Jamie Boehl who will be riding with the thoughts
and courage of dozens of S.C. transplant patients.
After five months of training and preparation, Boehl embarks on a special
journey that will take her more than 400 miles across the Piedmont and
Lowcountry areas of South Carolina to promote heart disease awareness,
organ donation and raise money for heart transplant patients.
Boehl’s routes for the eight-day journey are in some of the same hometowns
and cities of patients she's hoping to meet with along the way.
 Transplant
Clinic nurse Jamie Boehl meets with patient Katrina Parker during a filming
of WCSC-TV's Carolina Camera.
“Jamie’s done a great effort in helping patients in terms of awareness
and financial support,” said Katrina Parker, a transplant patient from
Spartanburg. “It’s scary for patients when they don’t know what they would
be facing in this process. Knowing that others understand and are supportive
is just a start. Jamie’s a great lady who’s really put her heart in this
entire effort.”
Boehl will start her “Save A Heart” trek in Williamston near Anderson
and will continue through the towns of Saluda and Ninety-Six where she
will visit transplant patient Ervin Grey for a fundraiser. Her second day
will be a ride from Santee to Walterboro and a visit to transplant patient
Linda Craven. Next, she will ride from Hilton Head to Beaufort and surroundings
to join Parris Island marine John Floyd. By day six, Boehl will bike from
Florence to Myrtle Beach where she will meet with eight transplant patients
for dinner at Planet Hollywood. The remainder of her tour includes visits
to Edisto, Ravenel, Hollywood, Columbia, Sumter, Georgetown and Charleston.
Boehl’s goal is to cycle about 50 miles per day—a feat that will test
her physical abilities and endurance despite the Carolina heat, humidity
and road conditions. Traveling with her are parents, Jim and Judy, from
Cincinnati, Ohio, and boyfriend, Henry Brookins. During her ride into the
Holy City on June 15, Boehl will be joined by transplant patient Frank
Blum who will accompany her as she peddles towards her final destination
and event’s end at Rutledge Tower.
Back in Charleston, congestive heart failure nurses Linda Chavis, Vicki
Lennen, Irene Smith and others are finalizing plans for other post-biking
events, fund-raising and support.
“Our job has been extremely busy contacting people, collecting donations
and preparing for this mammoth undertaking,” said Irene Smith, a co-worker
of Boehl’s at the CHF clinic. “We’ve got good in-house support from
people who really want this project to work. We just hope the public will
share in its success through their support. After all, this is what it's
all about—helping others.”
On June 23, the “Save A Heart” effort continues with a benefit golf
tournament at Wild Dunes Harbor Course and a silent auction at the Mills
House Hotel, downtown on June 27. All proceeds will benefit the program
through MUSC’s Heart and Transplant fund.
“This is really an effort for patients,” said Chavis, a co-worker of
Boehl, who has helped manage bake sales, raffles and other fund-raising
like the April 27 “Save A Heart Festival,” an event that raise more than
$3,000 in proceeds. “There are a lot of things done for the patient. For
this project, we wanted to make sure that patients were involved.”
“I’m impressed how Jamie and her team have taken on a project such
as this and ran with it,” said Dave Neff, Ambulatory Cares administrator.
“It’s amazing what one person can do. If every employee can accomplish
just half of what she’s done, what a difference it can make in our community.
It's an effort like this that can possibly inspire people to do good things
for others.”
To donate to the fund or for more information on the ride, call the
CHF/Heart Transplant Clinic at 876-0364.
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