Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute

10/10/2025

The FDA recently approved two new drugs this year for treating metastatic breast cancer. The new drugs are designed to kill more cancer cells while sparing healthy cells, resulting in fewer side effects—options that weren't available even just five years ago.

Dr. Timothy Pluard, medical director of Saint Luke's Cancer Institute, says this is a time to be very hopeful. Hear the details from him on Health News You Can Use.

10/08/2025

Saint Luke’s leaders and team members recently volunteered at Metro Lutheran Ministry as part of Belonging Week, an annual event for team members system-wide to celebrate our differences and create a culture where everyone feels welcomed, respected, and valued.

This year’s theme for Belonging Week was “Growing Connections.” Various team members connected with our community through service. This group packed more than 1,400 sack lunches for our neighbors in need.

When we combine our time, energy, and compassion, we can make a real difference in communities all across Kansas City and beyond. 💙

10/07/2025

After more than 46 years of heartfelt care that touched thousands of lives, Shawna (center 👑) is starting her next adventure in retirement.

Shawna spent her entire career with Saint Luke’s and worked in a variety of areas before becoming a nurse. She started as a patient transporter and then became a certified nursing assistant while attending nursing school. As a registered nurse, Shawna worked in the medical intermediate cardiac care unit for 25 years. She then spent time in the post-anesthesia care unit, the gastrointestinal lab, Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute, and has been in the cardiovascular prep and recovery unit for the last 15 years.

To say that Shawna is dedicated is an understatement. Her patients were always her sole focus. Her coworkers describe her as smart, thoughtful, and witty. She is an excellent role model, leader, and communicator. Shawna received countless praises from patients throughout the years and earned multiple recognitions. She has truly been a gift to our hospital and the epitome of an ideal nurse.

Thank you, Shawna, for your incredible tenure and commitment to your profession, patients, and peers. You are a treasure that will be deeply missed. 💙

10/06/2025

Saint Luke's arrived in style for the Kansas City Heart and Stroke Walk at the Liberty Memorial. More than 60 people rounded out our team, and together we raised more than $20,000 for the American Heart Association!

The Heart and Stroke Walk is a fun, family friendly event that brings our community together to get active, raise lifesaving funds, and support the mission of the American Heart Association. It celebrates heart health, honors survivors, and remembers loved ones affected by heart disease and stroke.

Through fundraising and community engagement, the Heart and Stroke Walk aims to enhance CPR training accessibility, bolster bystander preparedness, increase funding for vital research, and ultimately, save lives.

10/06/2025

Saint Luke's arrived in style for the Kansas City Heart and Stroke Walk at the Liberty Memorial. More than 60 people rounded out our team, and together we raised more than $20,000 for the American Heart Association!

The Heart and Stroke Walk is a fun, family friendly event that brings our community together to get active, raise lifesaving funds, and support the mission of the American Heart Association. It celebrates heart health, honors survivors, and remembers loved ones affected by heart disease and stroke.

Through fundraising and community engagement, the Heart and Stroke Walk aims to enhance CPR training accessibility, bolster bystander preparedness, increase funding for vital research, and ultimately, save lives.

10/03/2025

Why are more women under 50 being diagnosed with breast cancer?

Dr. Mary Mitchell, chief of Breast Radiology at Saint Luke’s, sheds light on this concerning trend and how women can know their risk of breast cancer at younger ages.

10/02/2025

The Life of a Health Care Worker (Saint Luke's Version).

Helping people is more than a job for us—it's our whole lives. With every Speak Now question, Fearless challenge, Red alert, unusual Folklore, or Midnights worry, our diverse range of caregivers is here to help you.

At Saint Luke’s, you’ll always find a Lover of wellness and a team with a Reputation for being committed to your health for Evermore.

10/01/2025

Saint Luke's recently took over the Polar Bear Passage at the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium to share a fun activity celebrating our Wild Beginnings partnership. 🐾

Lots of kids (and adults, too!) colored their favorite animal, then we turned them into buttons that they got to wear and take home. We loved seeing everyone’s excitement and wild imaginations come together.

Wild Beginnings supports the births of new animals at the zoo—a.k.a "Zooborns." Our commitment to innovative, patient-centered maternity care has allowed us to help local families grow for more than 135 years, and we’re excited to see these zoo families do the same. 💙

09/30/2025

Summer 2025 was a time we will never forget. It was full of firsts, lifesaving care, and celebrations. One thing we do know for sure is that we love caring for our patients, community, and each other. 💙

09/29/2025

It’s a cozy afternoon in Vern’s Pub at Saint Luke’s Bishop Spencer Place, where residents Carol, 96, and Jean, 95, share laughter like the lifelong friends they are. Their bond began in 1932, when Jean attended Carol’s second birthday party. From there, childhood adventures turned into a friendship that would span nearly a century.

They spent summers at a Michigan camp, later followed their love of history to Vassar College, and even traveled abroad together—adventures they now look back on fondly.

After college, Carol married, asking Jean to be her maid of honor, while Jean became active in the Junior League. As they raised families, holiday gatherings and weekend visits kept them connected, and their children became friends, too.

In 2006, Carol moved to Bishop Spencer Place with her husband. To her delight, she soon discovered a familiar face right across the hall.

“It was a pleasure to see Jean again,” Carol said. “I moved into one of the apartments across the hall from her, so it’s just like we’re neighbors again after all the years.”

Reflecting on their many years together, Carol and Jean admit the secret to an enduring friendship is less about the time you spend together and more about the space you hold for each other.

“We never drifted apart,” Carol says. “When Jean moved in, it was like we were kids again. We played bridge together, our husbands were in the investment club together, and we had dinner together. It just felt like old times.”

Read more about Carol and Jean’s lifelong friendship: https://heyor.ca/fDw1jx

09/26/2025

Almost one-quarter of American adults live with chronic pain. Thankfully, patients don’t have to depend on opioid medications to treat it.

Dr. Tyler Concannon, an interventional pain physician at Saint Luke's Pain Management Clinic, shares helpful insights about the interventions and procedures that treat pain without the need for medication on Health News You Can Use.

09/25/2025

At Saint Luke’s, Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) play an important role in the exceptional care our patients receive across our clinics and hospitals. These clinicians are at the heart of what we do, and we are fortunate to have them on our team. 💙

09/24/2025

And with that, the 2025 Plaza Art Fair comes to an end.

We’re proud to have been the presenting sponsor of this Kansas City tradition for the past decade. It’s always inspiring to see the community come together to celebrate creativity, connection, and local talent, and we’re grateful to be part of an event that showcases the vibrant spirit of our city.

From the paper flowers we made for our interactive sculpture to the art made in our Kids Zone, the weekend was filled with color, energy, and joy. 🎨 💙

08/28/2025

The Cardiovascular Structural Intervention Fellowship through the UMKC School of Medicine and Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City accepts one candidate per academic year. Fellows benefit from getting hands-on training from renowned specialists at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute.

Learn more and request an application now: https://heyor.ca/A8M1n1

07/09/2025

Christin recently had her third heart surgery since she was a baby—but this one was different.

Christin was born with a congenital heart defect and needed surgeries to repair her pulmonary valves. The first two surgeries were open-heart, which was difficult for her. This time, Dr. Anthony Magalski offered a minimally invasive approach that changed her life.

Watch the KCTV5 News Kansas City story: https://heyor.ca/fJR7FL

06/25/2025

Congratulations to Rich Liekweg, BJC Health System CEO, who announced his plans to retire on October 1, 2025, concluding an extraordinary career spanning almost 40 years in health care, the last 16 of which were devoted to BJC.

“It has been an honor to serve and lead our team members these past 16 years as they deliver exceptional care to our patients and communities,” said Rich. “Together, we successfully navigated through unprecedented times in the industry, never losing sight of our singular purpose to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve. I am deeply proud of our caregivers, the culture we have created, and the values we share that place the patient at the center of all we do.”

BJC is pleased to announce that Nick Barto, current BJC Health System President, will succeed Rich as President and CEO of BJC Health System.

“I am honored to be selected to succeed Rich Liekweg as BJC Health System’s President and CEO,” said Nick. “I look forward to working with our 47,000 team members to build on Rich’s vision that grew BJC into a super-regional health care leader, to continue to provide extraordinary care to the communities we serve, and to position BJC as a mission-oriented academic health care leader for all future generations.”

Read more here: https://heyor.ca/j1yUMR

05/30/2025

Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute is proud to host the 55th annual Dr. Robert D. Conn Heart Conference Dec. 4-5, 2025. The two-day cardiology event will bring together professionals from across the region for conversations to help improve patient care and push the cardiology field forward.

This year's conference will be held in person and virtually. Both options feature a robust lineup of renowned speakers, relevant topics, and clinically important updates.

See the official event details and register now at Conferences.SaintLukesKC.org/ConnHeart.

05/05/2025

Researchers at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute found that a nationwide initiative led by the American Heart Association made significant advancements in heart failure treatment.

Patients with heart failure showed great improvements when they received a combination of four medications, known as quadruple medication therapy. The three-year study focused on increasing the use of quadruple medication therapy and demonstrated that it helps patients live longer and spend less time in the hospital.

“This is a major step forward in heart failure care,” said Dr. Andrew Sauer, a Saint Luke’s cardiologist and lead author of the study. “We know that early introduction of these crucial therapies for heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction can lead to better outcomes and quality of life after they leave the hospital.”

Read the full article:

A study led by Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute researchers found drastic improvements following the American Heart Association’s IMPLEMENT-HF Initiative.

04/29/2025

Anthony received a heart transplant one day and then a kidney transplant the next day.

The 68-year-old from Lee’s Summit was diagnosed with heart and kidney failure last year after surviving three strokes. He was referred to Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute and met with heart failure specialist Dr. Taiyeb Khumri, who said he was a candidate for a transplant.

After months of being in and out of the hospital, Anthony received a heart transplant in November 2024, which was performed by cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Russell Davis. The following day, he had a kidney transplant performed by Dr. Kathryn Shaw.

“It can still be emotional for me when I stop and think about it,” said Anthony. “Someone had to die in order for me to live. I am grateful and humbled to have received the gift of organ donation.”

Anthony is getting stronger every day after his transplants. He and his wife, Peggy, are hopeful and excited about all that lies ahead for them.

“I’m looking forward to this summer, but I’m especially looking forward to next summer when I’ll be even stronger.”

Watch the KMBC 9 story now: https://heyor.ca/NYMN2b

04/15/2025

Representatives from Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute recently attended the annual American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions in Chicago, joining thousands of researchers and cardiologists from around the world.

Collectively, the Saint Luke's team delivered 37 presentations highlighting the latest scientific advances and innovative updates in cardiovascular care, emphasizing our commitment to practice-changing research and leading-edge education.

04/11/2025

Happy !

Dr. Bethany Austin loves to bring her dog Buddy to visit with patients. He’s a two-year-old miniature American shepherd and a trained therapy dog.

Pets can provide numerous health benefits. They help lower blood pressure, reduce stress, increase physical activity, and more. Above all, they make people happy! Many Saint Luke’s patients have their own pets that they can’t bring to the hospital, so Buddy helps them feel more at home.

“The first patient Buddy ever visited was someone who came in very sick and required urgent listing for a heart transplant,” said Dr. Austin. “He had been in the hospital for a long time and really missed his dog, who was also named Buddy. It was such a special visit for all of us. There were definitely tears involved.”

Buddy is an expert at warming hearts and lifting spirits. ❤️ 🐾

04/07/2025

The Saint Luke's Survivor's Seat at Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts honors a Saint Luke's patient who has risen above extraordinary health challenges with a spirit of determination. The latest honor went to Ted (center), a heart transplant recipient who is also an avid Chiefs fan.

Ted learned he had congenital heart disease in 2016. One year later, he underwent a heart valve repair procedure at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute, but it was only a temporary solution. He returned to the Heart Institute in 2022 and was put on the transplant list, just before Super Bowl LVI. He received a new heart in Feb. 2023 and watched the Chiefs win Super Bowl LVII from his hospital room. In 2024, he and his wife celebrated the first anniversary of his transplant by traveling to Las Vegas to attend Super Bowl LVIII.

Heart transplant surgeon Dr. Russell Davis (left) and heart failure cardiologist Dr. Mark Everley (right) were both present, along with Ted's family, to help recognize Ted's story of recovery. The leading-edge care provided by our Saint Luke's heart experts each and every day helps countless hearts and souls continue forward in life, just as the artistry at the Kauffman Center has the power to transform the heart and soul.

03/27/2025

Chandler came to Saint Luke’s with his family from Oklahoma to undergo a special procedure for his congenital heart condition.

Chandler, 29, was born with a condition that caused his aortic valve to narrow, limiting blood flow to his body. He had surgery at another hospital as a baby to fix the valve, but suffered a brain injury causing cerebral palsy. His heart condition was resolved for many years until his 20s when the aortic valve narrowed once again. His parents worried another open-heart surgery was too high risk.

His cardiologist in Tulsa referred him to the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute. The family drove from Tulsa to Kansas City to meet with the Saint Luke's team, who recommended Chandler have a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure that replaces the diseased valve with an artificial one through a flexible tube without opening the chest. It is a key option for patients like Chandler who are at high risk for open heart surgery. Saint Luke's is the most experienced heart center for TAVR in the region.

Chandler underwent the life-saving TAVR procedure in Feb. 2025. Since then, his heart function has drastically improved, and his parents have noticed an improvement in symptoms. He is excited to return to his job as a greeter for Tulsa Drillers Baseball.

“We would have gone anywhere to get the help we needed,” said Lisa, Chandler's mom. “We appreciated finding a team who understood that his life was worth helping just as much as anyone else, even though he wasn’t the typical patient.”

See the full story from KSHB 41: https://heyor.ca/nfMQ2l

03/21/2025

A second opinion saved Angela's heart without needing a transplant.

Angela is an active 62-year-old who likes to run, so heart problems were unexpected. Her doctor noticed that her heartbeat was irregular and referred her to a cardiologist at a different hospital.

“I had a really hard time doing stairs,” said Angela. “I would get to the top of the stairs and be breathing hard. That’s just not normal.”

The hospital diagnosed Angela with congestive heart failure and said she would need a transplant—except that hospital wasn’t in her insurance network. She took that as a sign that she was meant to go to Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute.

Angela met with Dr. Brett Sperry, a Saint Luke’s cardiologist. He told her that she didn’t have congestive heart failure, but actually, she had cardiac sarcoidosis—her heart wasn't beating properly because it was inflamed. This meant that she could be treated without a transplant.

“It was a miracle,” she said.

Angela was prescribed medication to reduce her heart inflammation and wore a life vest to prevent cardiac arrest. She continues to have quarterly appointments to monitor her health and is excited to be back to exercising again and looking forward to visiting Italy later this year.