Sen. Bailey welcomes Joe Hansen of Saco to the Maine Senate

Posted: February 29, 2024 | Senator Bailey

AUGUSTA ­­— On Wednesday, Feb. 28, Sen. Donna Bailey, D-Saco, welcomed Joe Hansen of Saco to the Senate Chamber. The Maine Senate passed a joint resolution recognizing Feb. 28 as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Awareness Day. Hansen contacted Sen. Bailey and shared his personal story, requesting that Sen. Bailey sponsor this joint resolution.

“I want to thank my constituent Joe Hansen of Saco for bringing this important awareness campaign to my attention and for sharing his personal story with me,” said Sen. Bailey. “As the Senate Chair of the Health Coverage, Insurance, and Financial Services Committee, I am very happy to raise awareness for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. It is the most common genetic heart disorder, and it occurs when the heart muscle thickens – making it harder to pump blood. Fortunately, through genetic testing, diagnostic tests and treatment, people with HCM can manage the disease and relieve their symptoms.”

Feb. 28, 2024, is Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Awareness Day. HCM is a chronic cardiac disease involving thickening of the heart muscle and can potentially lead to debilitating symptoms and serious complications, including heart failure, atrial fibrillation, stroke and, in rare cases, sudden cardiac death.

HCM is the most common inheritable heart disease and can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or ethnicity, with a reported prevalence ranging from 1 in 200 to 1 in 500 in the general population. An estimated 700,000 to 1,650,000 people in the United States have HCM; yet 85% of them may remain undiagnosed.

A health care provider may conduct several tests, including an echocardiogram, a cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test or genetic testing, to confirm a family history of HCM and must examine the patient’s heart to correctly diagnose HCM.

To learn more about HCM, visit 4hcm.org to connect with the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association and advancecardiohealth.org to connect with the Partnership to Advance Cardiovascular Health.

Sen. Donna Bailey, D-Saco, and Joe Hansen of Saco in the Senate Chamber

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