Cardiac patient gives back through fundraising initiative

Kevin Tucker, 46, never dreamed he would be undergoing cardiac surgery.

But in 2015, he learned his mitral valve, the valve that regulates the flow of blood from the left atrium to the left ventricle, was leaking. Tucker quickly learned the condition was serious and could lead to heart failure.

At just 41 years of age, Tucker underwent successful surgery to repair his valve, but unfortunately in 2020, he learned the valve had started to leak again. This required another open-heart surgery in September with the Libin Cardiovascular Institute’s Dr. William Kent, MD, who successfully re-repaired the valve.

“It has completely changed everything; I got my life back,” says Tucker, who is married and has a three-year-old daughter.

Tucker’s gratitude to the team at the Libin Institute prompted him to give back. His apparel company, Great Northern Drilling, is donating a portion of the funds garnered from its Heart on Your Sleeve campaign to help the Libin Institute meets its goal of improving cardiovascular outcomes for all Albertans.

Selected items from Great Northern’s product line are stamped with a graphic of Tucker’s echocardiogram, taken while he still had a heart murmur to remind purchasers to “stay resilient no matter how tough it gets out there.”

Kent, Tucker’s surgeon, said while there is an intrinsic reward when patients improve and regain their lives following surgery, it’s nice for the entire health care team to be recognized.

“When individuals express gratitude by giving back, it helps reward the whole team, many who don’t get the opportunity to see the patient doing so well post-operatively in clinic,” says Kent. “The Libin Institute is supported by hardworking, caring, innovative people who want to provide the best care for our patients and advance the Institute as a centre of excellence in cardiac care. Investment helps to further those objectives, for the benefit of our patients and the Calgary community.”

Dr. Paul Fedak, MD, PhD, the director of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute and a celebrated cardiac surgeon and researcher is also grateful for the support of the community.

“The Libin Cardiovascular Institute relies on the generosity of our community to support our world-class cardiovascular research, education and clinical care,” he says. “I am pleased at the high-quality care provided within the Institute and thankful that Tucker chose to give back.”

Dr. William Kent is a cardiac surgeon and researcher in the Department of Cardiac Sciences at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine (CSM). He is also a member of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute.

Dr. Paul Fedak is a cardiac surgeon and researcher and the director of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute and head of the Department of Cardiac Sciences at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine (CSM).