Larry King Live Press Conference in New Orleans for LKCF and ACCF

New Orleans, LA – On March 25th at 10:30AM The American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) and The Larry King Cardiac Foundation (LKCF) will announce that they are joining together to bring public awareness to the projected heart disease epidemic and address key issues affecting the continued delivery of quality cardiac care in America.

Larry King, who was invited by the ACCF to announce the partnership of the foundations, will accept his selection as Honorary Chair for the ACCF’s Campaign for the Future, as part of a press conference and luncheon, entitled The Heart of the Matter, on Sunday, March 25 at 10:30AM at the Loews Hotel in New Orleans. The special event coincides with The College’s 56th Annual Scientific Session (ACC.07), the leading scientific meeting that brings together nearly 30,000 attendees from around the world to share best practices and innovations in cardiovascular science and education. ACC.07, one of the first major conferences and exhibitions to be held in New Orleans since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, will take place from March 24 through 27.

Mr. King, host of CNN’s Larry King Live and Founder of the Larry King Cardiac Foundation, will be joined by Douglas Zipes, M.D., M.A.C.C., Chair of the ACCF’s campaign to discuss the details of the campaign’s goal to thwart America’s current trend toward a major cardiac care crisis.

The ACC is distinguished as a visionary organization that leads the way for optimal cardiovascular care and disease prevention guidelines. Due to the rising number of heart disease patients and inadequate funding of cardiovascular training slots, the problem is escalating dramatically. According to ACC research, if nothing is done to stop the trend, by 2020, the ratio could be only five cardiologists per every 100,000 patients.

Dr. Zipes said, “We’re very happy to have the assistance of Larry King and the Larry King Cardiac Foundation to work with the ACCF. By addressing issues through the Campaign for the Future we will demonstrate how we can effectively alleviate the growing problems in cardiac care.”

King established the Larry King Cardiac Foundation in 1988 after undergoing successful quintuple bypass heart surgery. The LKCF provides funding and access to life-saving treatment for individuals who would otherwise be unable to receive the care they need. Larry King is one of the more than 60 million people in the United States who suffer from heart disease

“The Campaign for the Future has exactly the kind of foresight needed to insure that there will be quality resources available for everyone,” King said. “I am lucky that I have the resources readily available to me to battle heart disease and I’m proud to be in New Orleans to lend support to programs like the ACCF campaign, to stop the number one killer in America – heart disease.”

“The goal of The Campaign for the Future is to raise funds that will be applied to ensuring an adequate workforce of cardiac care professionals, meeting the growing need for professional education, and developing nationwide initiatives related to quality care and healthy lifestyle choices,” Zipes said.

The “Heart of the Matter” Campaign for the Future Luncheon with Larry King is sponsored by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, Daiichi-Sankyo, Inc., King Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Merck & Co., and Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.

About American College of Cardiology Foundation:
The American College of Cardiology Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advocacy of quality cardiovascular care through education, research promotion, development and the application of standards and guidelines. The Foundation, which also aims to influence health care policy, is aligned with the mission and goals of the American College of Cardiology (ACC), a 34,000-member nonprofit medical society that provides professional education and operates national registries for the measurement and improvement of quality care. For more information, visit www.acc.org

About The Larry King Cardiac Foundation:
The Larry King Cardiac Foundation (LKCF) was established in 1988 to provide funding for life-saving treatment for individuals who, due to limited means or no insurance, would otherwise be unable to receive the treatment and care they so desperately need. The Foundation works in conjunction with hospitals throughout the nation to ensure that such patients receive proper medical attention. Doctors performing these surgeries do so at no charge. Hospitals are compensated only for the materials used. Hearts are repaired. Families are given another chance. Lives are saved. The LKCF is a non-profit organization funded from the proceeds of Mr. King’s books, speaking engagements, and from entertainment galas conducted in New York City, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. The LKCF is affiliated with eight premier Cardiac Centers: Children’s National Medical Center and George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Los Angeles County + USC in Los Angeles, California, New York Presbyterian: The University Hospital of Columbia and Weill Cornell University Medical Center in New York, NY, St. Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, and The Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. LKCF also works in conjunction with Venice Family Clinic in Venice, California. For more information, visit www.lkcf.org
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MEDIA CONTACT:
To confirm your attendance at the press conference or for additional information, contact:
Greg Walsh; 203-216-6101; greg@walshpr.com
Photos are also available upon request.