The “Gift from Captain Buscio” cardiovascular screening program at DEBORAH Heart and Lung Center is overseen by Tom Campbell, DEBORAH's Director of Marketing/Media/PR, who forged partnerships about 20 years ago with the volunteer and career state firefighter organizations of New Jersey, personally offering his availability to assist these heros in obtaining access to all Deborah’s services—and since early 2012, we’ve had an official partnership with the NJSPBA!

After hearing Tom address one of the firefighter annual conventions 14 years ago, Donna Buscio, the widow of a 39-year-old career firefighter who suddenly died of a massive heart attack, contacted him about coordinating this non-funded cardiovascular screening program at Deborah, in her husband’s memory.  Tom has been very pleased to oversee this outstanding voluntary-participation program, which encourages all NJ Jersey’s heroic police members (including DoC), firefighters, and first responders statewide to receive a cardiovascular screening for potential work-related health risks—at no out-of-pocket expense! We will access insurance if the participant is insured, but regardless, no one will receive any bills/co-pays/deductibles for this program or any service at DEBORAH. 

A note: Donna Buscio also asked her family physician to organize a screening program for northern Jersey participants (973.596.1200), which takes place in two appointments; the first visit is to Newark Airport, where testing is done in a hanger. Several weeks later, the participant will meet with a cardiologist in his/her office to review the test results. If recommendations for further assessment are made—such as for a cardiac catheterization, carotid ultrasound, angiography, or calcium scoring/CT scan, etc.—please be assured you are welcome to fax scripts for these tests to DEBORAH (609.893.3134), where you’ll be scheduled and receive no bills whatsoever.

You may also contact us for further evaluation and/or a second opinion.

After initial screening, the participant will then meet with one of DEBORAH’s specialty cardiologists, who will review all test results with him/her (in conjunction with family health risk history and current state of health) and, as necessary, make recommendations for additional diagnostic tests for further assessment and evaluation.  About one-third of program participants have not needed secondary testing, but approximately two-thirds have needed additional onsite testing—perhaps a nuclear stress test, echocardiogram, calcium scoring test/CT scan, pulmonary stress test, angiography, etc.—to rule out, confirm or further diagnose a condition.  **Please keep in mind that, as a specialty cardiac, pulmonary and vascular center, we are not able to offer a general health assessment (i.e., we cannot perform eye and hearing examinations or other general tests).

Please feel free to access the website’s homepage ([http://www.demand%20Deborah.org]www.demand Deborah.org) to read an overview of this wonderful program and Mrs. Buscio’s account of its founding. (By the way, Donna is considered to be a marvelous hero herself, turning a terrible tragedy for her family into a truly life-saving opportunity for NJ’s police and firefighters!)

If you would like to be scheduled for this lifesaving program at DEBORAH, please call 1.800.555.1990, option 4.

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