About us
LVADStrong began around a kitchen table in Boston with a simple idea: nobody should leave the hospital with a driveline and no one to call.
Read our story
Featured
Meet the volunteers behind the work
Patients & caregivers
Plain language answers about the controller, the batteries, the exit site, and the parts of LVAD life nobody warns you about.
Start with the LVAD Guide
Most read
Your first 30 days after surgery
Healthcare providers
Printable one pagers, discharge checklists, and first responder cards written with VAD coordinators, free to order or download.
Request printed materials
New
First responder pocket card, 2026 edition
Events & news
Festivals, hospital visits, and support group nights across New England. Bring a question, bring a family member, bring both.
See the 2026 calendar
Next up
Lowell Folk Festival, July 25 to 27
Get involved
Give an hour, give a story, or give a few dollars. All of it goes back into the community that needs it.
See where your money goes
We need you
Volunteers wanted for spring events
LVAD patients and caregivers face real emotional and mental strain. LVADStrong is a 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit organization providing free access to education, support, and community to help patients and caregivers navigate LVAD life together.
LVADStrong empowers patients and caregivers through support, education, and connection. We believe that no one should face this journey alone, and that with the right care, understanding, and community, LVAD patients can live stronger, fuller lives.
LVAD Guide
Five short chapters that walk through LVAD life, from the conversation before surgery to settling back in at home.
Learn more
Financial Resources
Grants, copay help, and travel assistance, plus straight answers about what insurance usually covers and what it does not.
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Mental Health Resources
Find mental health support near you. Browse trusted in person and virtual resources across New England to help you cope and stay strong.
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Hospital Locator
Search VAD programs by state and get the contact details for the coordinator who actually picks up the phone.
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LVAD Gear
Shower bags, battery holders, and driveline covers that patients actually use, reviewed by the people who wear them every day.
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Patient & Caregiver Stories
Real people, real timelines. Read how others got through the first month home and what life looked like a year later.
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LVADStrong empowers patients and caregivers through support, education, and connection. We believe that no one should face this journey alone.
Every dollar becomes something a patient can hold. A care package, a printed guide, a seat at an event where they finally meet someone who gets it.
Donate
Boston, MA
LVADStrong joins Open Streets Hyde Park to raise awareness and connect with the community.
See event details
Lowell, MA
We will share multilingual materials, answer LVAD questions, and change perceptions about LVADs.
See event details
Boston, MA
Raising heart failure awareness in underserved communities with life saving LVAD info and support.
See event detailsPractical advice, lived experience, and expert insight to help you live stronger with an LVAD. Day to day tips, guides, and more.
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December 20, 2025
Traveling with an LVAD
Backup batteries, airport security, and how to find a VAD center near wherever you are headed.
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August 1, 2025
Empathy in Nursing: An ICU Story
A personal ICU story and five simple ways nurses can show real empathy.
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July 9, 2025
Managing LVAD Anxiety
What helps when the alarms play back in your head at two in the morning, from patients who have been there.
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May 22, 2025
Showering Without the Dread
A step by step routine for keeping the exit site dry, plus the gear that makes it easier.
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April 3, 2025
Getting Back to Moving
Walking, stairs, and light strength work, and how to tell the difference between tired and too much.
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Get the latest updates on LVADStrong initiatives, programs, partnerships, and milestones as we grow our impact across communities.
See all news
December 20, 2025
Speaker Program for LVAD Support Groups
We are building a speaker network to bring real LVAD stories into support groups.
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August 1, 2025
LVADStrong: New Website Launch
Explore LVADStrong's new site with fresh tools, real stories, and support for the LVAD journey.
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November 12, 2025
Care Packages Reach Twenty VAD Teams
Boxes went out this fall with snacks, notes from patients, and a thank you to the coordinators.
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September 30, 2025
Volunteers Now in Eight States
What started with a few families in Massachusetts now reaches from New Hampshire to Texas.
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May 2, 2025
On Stage at HeartMates
Our team sat down with clinicians to talk about what patients actually need after discharge.
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Stay connected. Get monthly updates with patient stories, LVAD news, and events that bring us together.
Phil, 58Boston, MA
A vacation surprise led to an LVAD and a whole new perspective on life.
Read Phil's story
Mike, 41Worcester, MA
He was told he had weeks. Four years later he is back on the sideline coaching.
Read Mike's story
Denise, 63Providence, RI
Caring for her husband taught her to ask for help long before she ran out of it.
Read Denise's story
Ray, 47Manchester, NH
Back at work eight months after surgery, with a few new routines and a lot more patience.
Read Ray's story
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