FDRGR

The Dr. Raúl García Rinaldi Foundation is a non-profit 501c3 organization that has been serving the Puerto Rican health, education and community for 18 years. Our vision is o foster cardiovascular health in all areas of society to help reduce the cases of death caused by cardiovascular disease in Puerto Rico and to contribute to a better quality of life. Our main purposes are: - To facilitate medically indigent patients access to alternate cardiovascular proceedings who have a genuine necessity and partially or totally lack economic means to pay for them. - Promote scientific research in the areas of the prevention, causes and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in the context of Puerto Rican culture - To promote education and scientific exchange between health professionals in Puerto Rico, the United States and other countries, be it though scholarships, with grants for scholarships and invitations for conferences and visiting professors.

Puerto Rico

To foster cardiovascular health in all areas of society to help reduce the cases of death caused by cardiovascular disease in Puerto Rico and to contribute to a better quality of life.

Last year 2009, the Foundation: - Oriented a total of 12 potential patients, of whom 10 cases were approved by the Committee to receive financial aid. The contribution to these patients amounted to $18,735.00. In addition, we were able to manage the donation of a defibrillator, valued at $22,100. - Conducted activities and programs of prevention and education on cardiovascular disease: -- 3rd Cardiovascular Health Congress of the West- During February 19th and 20th, the Congress was held under the slogan, "Give Yourself a Healthy Heart" in the month of Cardiovascular Prevention at the Holiday Inn Tropical Casino in Mayagüez. On February 19, the activity was directed to the health of senior adults, and the following day was aimed to children and young people. -- Program “Promotion, Prevention, Evaluation and Results” (PPER)- PPER Program aims to educate the general population, impacting a focus group with issues related to prevention, psychological, physical activity and nutrition on cardiovascular disease. The Program begins with a need research divided into four valuations: demographic, social, education and administration. After the evaluation, the program develops an agenda of three activities in a period of six months, based on conferences, exercises, health clinics, monitoring and the results. In this occasion, the PPER worked with the support team, "Adeline Teale" in the following manors and municipalities: “Égida los Cantares” in Bayamón, “Égida Ciudad del Retiro” in San Juan. -- Also, the Foundation provided support to cardiovascular prevention activities as health fairs, conferences, symposiums and forums, among others of other organizations. - Developed educational programs as: --The 2009 Summer Program for Talented Students in Science, Medicine and High School. The purpose of this Program is to provide a real experience in the medicine field and help its participants develop a sense of compassion and service to others. Participants observe the procedures that are performed by doctors, from exams to complicated surgeries. The Program started in 1993 with one student and last summer, 85 students attended it. It runs each year during the months of June and July. This year, the Summer Program 2010 culminated in August 7, and it has impacted 86 students from high school and college. -- The CINA 5990 “Shaping Future Health Professionals” is a seminar that offers orientations related to health and medicine. The purpose is to impact university students who have the interest to continue studies in the fields of science and health. The seminar stems from a collaborative agreement with the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus and is conducted twice a year. -- 2010 Talented Student Health Career Symposium, which is an unique experience for talented students of public high school (10th, 11th and 12th grades) in Puerto Rico. Its purpose is to foment the development of health care professionals through talented students from disadvantage Puerto Rican communities. - In addition, the Foundation executed two fundraising events, a gala called “Vinos, Imágenes y Paladar” (VIP) in the month of May, and a Golf Tournament in the month of October.