Advancing Heart Technology
Partnering to Expand
The driving force behind Ella’s Umbrella is to protect other families from what happened to Ella. Our initial approach focused on generating funds for heart research, but we realized that pediatric heart technology advancements are another important way to accomplish this purpose.
In 2023 we decided to partner with the Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation and their Take Heart Collective. Our shared goal is to enhance outcomes in pediatric heart care through collaboration with innovators on cutting-edge advancements.
Three Categories For Advancements
Prediction
Precision
Personalizing Care
Prevention
Preserving Quality Of Life
Fitness and Mental Well-Being
Leveraging technology and research to marry together the physical fitness and mental well-being of the heart community. We are currently working to leverage AI with an intelligent algorithm via a smart fitness device unique to a child’s heart diagnosis so they can participate in physical activities proven to lengthen life span.
We have been collaborating with Boston Children’s Cardiac Fitness Team to create AI software with an intelligence company, and measure outcomes in 30 heart kids. Our hope is to expand this work and bring it to the two major children’s hospitals in St. Louis.
Smarter Care
Funding smaller technology and research projects to support less invasive treatments, innovations in care at home, smarter inpatient solutions and life-saving community care. Here are a few examples:
- 3D Echo imaging that reduces the need for cardiac MRI, which requires risky anesthesia.
- AI in cardiac ICUs that will serve as an early warning system to prevent decompensation.
- Telehealth advancements to overcome economic and technological insecurities and make home care safe and more seamless.