Heart Month highlights: Supporting your heart health from hospital to home

American Heart Month, observed each February, is a reminder that heart health touches every family, every community and every stage of life.

With cardiovascular disease remaining the leading cause of death in the United States, prioritizing heart health has never been more important. AdventHealth teams across the country are working to prevent, treat and support heart conditions through compassionate, whole-person care.

From medically tailored meals that support recovery at home to life-changing transplants and community education events, these stories show how heart health is strengthened across AdventHealth -- one person at a time.

Community-centered care

At the heart of every community are the people who keep it moving -- caring for families, supporting neighbors and showing up for one another every day.

When Larry Schaefer returned home after a cardiac hospitalization at AdventHealth Orlando, post-hospital care was essential to his long-term recovery.

Through a pilot collaboration with Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, he received medically tailored meals, highlighting the critical role that nutrition plays in long-term cardiovascular recovery.

"Within the first week back home, I lost three pounds just from eating healthy," Schaefer said. "The ministry that they’re providing through this program is just amazing. I’m so grateful."

Since its launch, more than 7,000 medically tailored meals have been delivered to seniors recovering from cardiac events, and 95% of participants have avoided hospital readmission during recovery -- underscoring the role of nutritious food access in supporting heart health.

Click here to read more about AdventHealth’s community-centered heart care.

A heart for healing

For John Nwosu, MD -- an interventional cardiologist at AdventHealth Minneola -- medicine is a calling shaped by faith, family and a lifelong commitment to caring for the whole person.

For patients, that calling translates into personalized care that honors both medical needs and personal values.

Dr. Nwosu grew up in Nigeria, where he learned early what it meant to care for people with dignity, empathy and respect. His father was a pediatrician, and his siblings also followed a path into medicine.

“My father taught us the importance of education and service to our community,” he said. “He showed me that medicine is not just about treating diseases -- it’s about caring for people.”

Dr. Nwosu’s commitment to advocating for heart health is deeply personal. During his residency, his mother faced serious heart disease and underwent open-heart surgery.

At the time, she could barely walk to her car. Today, she plays with her grandchildren and enjoys an active lifestyle.

"That experience changed me," Dr. Nwosu said. "I saw heart disease from both sides -- as a physician and as a son. It reinforced why this work matters."

When deciding where to practice, AdventHealth stood out to him for its faith-based mission, inclusivity and commitment to whole-person care.

“I was looking for a place that was sensitive to the needs of the community,” he said. “A place where faith, compassion and whole-person care aren’t just words, but lived every day.”

Click here to learn what makes him feel whole.

A rare transplant close to home

When Will Vogelman faced limited options after months in intensive care, a rare heart-after-liver transplant at AdventHealth helped restore both hope and possibility -- close to home.

The procedure required close coordination across multiple specialties and a shared commitment to whole-person care through the AdventHealth Transplant Institute.

Today, he is regaining mobility, spending meaningful time with his family and continuing his recovery -- all without leaving Central Florida for care.

Click here to see his recovery journey.

Blossoming heart wellness

AdventHealth Manchester hosted a creative, educational event that empowered community members with practical tools to support heart health in a relaxed, hands-on setting.

Participants gathered for an afternoon that paired heart-health education with floral design, blending wellness and creativity in a welcoming environment.

Attendees learned simple, meaningful ways to care for their heart while creating their own flower arrangements.

The program featured expert guest speakers, including a cardiologist.

Click here to read about the unique class.

Together, these stories show how heart health is strengthened across AdventHealth -- through prevention, innovation, education and compassionate recovery.

This American Heart Month, teams across the system continue to champion whole-person care that helps people feel whole at every stage of their heart health journey.