New Jersey Health Foundation Announces $50,000 Grant to Advance Cardiovascular Research

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New Jersey Health Foundation (NJHF) announced today that the Zimmerman Family Fund has awarded its first grant of $50,000 to support two cardiovascular projects being conducted at The Cardiovascular Institute at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

The fund was established through New Jersey Health Foundation and its affiliate, the Foundation of UMDNJ, to fulfill the wishes of Gladys Zimmerman, who left a bequest for an endowment of nearly $1 million to support medical research, treatment and teaching at the medical school for heart and cancer related illnesses.  

To assure that her family could continue to be involved with the Fund, a committee consisting of family members Phyllis Chudnick, Steven Chudnick and Janet Robinson along with James Golubieski, president of NJHF, was created to provide advice regarding disbursements of funds.

"One of the nicest things about this bequest from Ms. Zimmerman is that setting up an endowment fund through New Jersey Health Foundation provides perpetual funding for causes she cared about," explained Mr. Golubieski.  "It's a great way for Ms. Zimmerman's family to keep her legacy alive."

The first $50,000 allocation will be used to fund two projects conducted by Dr. John B. Kostis, founding director of The Cardiovascular Institute, and his research team:

• "The New Jersey Myocardial Infarction Data Acquisition System (MIDAS)," which is the only statewide database for cardiovascular disease including myocardial infarction and stroke with longitudinal follow up.
• "The Legacy Effect: Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Prolonging Life Expectancy and the Persistence of Benefit"  that is exploring the relationship between treatment of high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes and patient mortality and life expectancy.

"The gift from the Zimmerman Family Fund can have a tremendous impact on what we know, and ultimately how we treat, cardiovascular disease worldwide," explained Dr. Kostis, who is  internationally known for his work in the area of cardiovascular disease research and treatment.

About New Jersey Health Foundation
New Jersey Health Foundation (www.njhealthfoundation.org,) established in 2002 as a not-for-profit public charity, is the parent company to the Foundation of UMDNJ (www.foundationofumdnj.org), which solicits private sector support for the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and to Foundation Venture Capital Group, LLC, (www.foundationventure.com) which makes private equity investments in start-up technology companies founded by researchers affiliated with the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey.

SOURCE New Jersey Health Foundation

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