We are a local heart transplant support group of heart transplant recipients in the general area of the region known as the Delaware [...]]]> Welcome to the home for Second Chance Heart Transplant Support Group, Inc.  (that’s where the site name: “SCHTSGI” comes from, using the first letter of each word in that corporate name…)

We are a local heart transplant support group of heart transplant recipients in the general area of the region known as the Delaware Valley.  While our 800+ members have spread far and wide, most come from the Philadelphia centered area that includes Delaware, Southern New Jersey, and Eastern Pennsylvania.   Anticipating your question, yes, you have to have had a heart transplant – or be married to one who has – to become a member, so there really are that many recipients in this local area, and oh so many more!  That large number is mainly due to the fact that there are so many heart transplant programs in this area – eight if you count CHOP, Hershey and DuPont (in DE).

Read more about our organization in the ABOUT page on this site, both our long history (dating back to the mid 1980′s, the “dawn” of today’s successful heart transplant surgical process ) and our mission of support and financial aid to member patients in need.  To date here in 2009, Second Chance has given out over $500,000 in patient grants over those years.

So read all about us here, and consider joining to add your own support to this very unique group who truly are giving from their hearts and are “heart gifted” owing their lives to a donor family’s gift and the modern miracle of heart transplantation in the hands of amazing medical professionals in those many centers.

New additions to check out on our web site:

• You are invited: TRIO’s 25th Anniversary offering a dinner, June 16th, to share your own life milestone celebration – click here for flyer –> Anniversary flyer
• Presentation slides from Dr. Ralph Petrucci’s Hahnemann Chapter May 8th talk titled: “Behavioral Patterns of Transplant Recipients” <– click on title to download the slides
• Check out new photo albums from the DASH, Caregiver Party and Celebration of Life Dinner under PHOTOS
• Our own LaVerne Clark makes great appearance on CBS3  Philly Talk show (<– click to view interview video)
• Voting results: 2012 Budget and By-Law changes have been approved:Approved 2012 Budget (<- click to download PDF file)
  • By-law changes with explanation (<- click to download PDF file)
  • See the 3-19-12 By-law PDF document available for downloading on the By-laws page in the right column
• Hahnemann Holiday Party 2011 photos now available (<– click here)
• slideshow of the 2011 Ruth Miller/Second Chance picnic and slide set 2 ( <– click to view either set)
• Watch a heart transplant operation on the web (<– click to view)
• Presentation slides for “How our gastroenterology system works (Digestive System)” (<– click here) by Dr. Ayaz Matin
• Help raise money for Second Chance by using eScript for your on-line shopping, same prices but Second Chance gets a donation with each purchase – just click here –>
• Transplant Patient Resources – growing list now available under Patient Resources (see navigation on the right of this page)
  - Second Chance brochures for recipients and candidates
  - Patient education booklets from ITNS (free as downloads) – See newest one: Sexual Heath After Transplant, and their full library, including…
  - The Transplant Patient Educational Booklet Series on Diabetes, Pregnancy, Diet and Exercise, Dental Care, Maintaining Healthy Lifestyle, Controlling GI Side Effects, Skin Cancer
  as a free 7 CD set
  
• Slide presentation: Cardiovascular Screening: Tracking your blood pressure and blood sugar (<– click to download 760kb PDF file)
  given by Shelley Hankins MD, Medical Director, The Center for Advanced Heart, Failure Care at Hahnemann
• When you order service from Verizon, see how you can help Second Chance: Verizon Flyer (<– click here to download PDF flyer)
• Health Management: links to articles of health interest