Fueling Breakthroughs: Donor Support Driving the Future of Cardiovascular Care

Cardiovascular disease remains one of the most urgent health challenges facing Wisconsin families. As a leading cause of death and disability in the state, its reach is wide – and deeply personal. Because cardiovascular disease is often difficult to reverse once it progresses, prevention, early detection, and timely intervention are critical.

That reality is at the heart of the work being done at the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Froedtert & MCW health network, where researchers and clinicians are working together to change how cardiovascular disease is understood, treated, and ultimately prevented.

“The thing about cardiovascular disease is that it’s critical to prevent,” said Julie Freed, MD, PhD, senior associate dean and executive vice chair and associate professor of Anesthesiology, “Because once it develops, it can be nearly impossible to reverse.”

With a broad cardiovascular footprint across the state, the program has steadily built the research strength, clinical expertise, and infrastructure needed to lead care throughout southeastern Wisconsin and beyond. Clinicians point to this moment as a turning point – one where years of strategic investment are translating into measurable impact.

“This is a great time to be in this space,” said Michael Widlansky, MD, MPH, director of the Cardiovascular Research Center and interim chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine. “We’ve really positioned ourselves to be a leader in cardiovascular care” in southeastern Wisconsin and beyond.

That leadership is grounded in research. High-impact, translational research informs how patients are treated every day, allowing discoveries made in the lab to move quickly into clinical practice.

“Because of the research we do and the infrastructure we have, we’re in a strong position to lead efforts across Wisconsin,” said Dr. Freed. “When you have access to groundbreaking research, you can truly change how disease is treated.”

Patients experience this difference through a multidisciplinary model of care that brings specialists together around each individual case. Rather than working in silos, teams collaborate seamlessly – often involving vascular surgeons, cardiologists, interventional radiologists, and cardiac surgeons – to determine the best course of treatment.

“If you come here for care, you don’t just see one specialist,” said Peter Rossi, MD, professor and chief of the division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. “You receive coordinated care from a multidisciplinary team, which is uncommon not only in southeastern Wisconsin, but across much of the Midwest.”

Looking ahead, the future of the program is being shaped by its people. The ability to recruit nationally recognized physicians and scientists has strengthened both research and patient care, while expanding opportunities to innovate.

One promising area is genetic profiling. By identifying an individual’s risk earlier – and understanding genetic predispositions – clinicians can intervene sooner and tailor care more precisely.

“Genetic profiling allows us to detect disease earlier and intervene earlier,” said Iftikhar Kullo, MD, associate director of the Mellowes Center for Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine.

Despite its advanced capabilities, the program remains deeply focused on personalized care. That culture – treating patients as individuals, not diagnoses – has helped place the program among the top academic institutions nationally for quality and outcomes.

“Our patients are safer, and our outcomes are better,” said Charles Socci, MBA, BSN, RN, vice president of the Heart and Vascular Clinical Service Line. “But what truly differentiates us is our focus on research.”

Philanthropy plays a vital role in sustaining this progress. Support from donors enables innovative ideas to be evaluated, proven, and scaled – ensuring that advances benefit not only today’s patients, but future generations across Wisconsin.

“When families support the Medical College, that impact comes back to them,” said Dr. Widlansky. “So, anything donors can do to help strengthens care for their communities and improves lives across the region.”