On Jan. 2, 2023, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin captured the world’s attention after suffering a near fatal cardiac arrest during an NFL game. He is now embarking on a comeback story for the ages as he returns to the NFL.
As part of Abbott’s continued push to become a trusted household name and showcase our leadership in cardiac health, we partnered with Damar to launch the Abbott HeartMates program.
With the objective of supporting people impacted by heart conditions, we built a community where patients, family, friends, caregivers and doctors come together to share stories, ask questions and support each other.
HeartMates raised awareness of the importance of knowing your heart health, build community amongst people affected by cardio illnesses, and celebrate the courage of cardio patients making their own heart comebacks.
To kick off the program, on April 19, Abbott and Damar Hamlin hosted HeartMates’ first Draft Day along with three-time Super Bowl champion and Abbott heart device recipient, Tedy Bruschi. The event took place a week before the NFL Draft, recognized the comeback stories of 11 HeartMates, and welcomed them to our team of ambassadors.
The HeartMates now is a living, breathing, evolving community who engage on frequent huddles and social media, as well as hospital visits to support patients.
