Theresa Beckie, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the USF College of Nursing, was a researcher at the University of Alberta when she became involved with CardioStart. In Tampa, CardioStart is maintained by the Tampa General Hospital Foundation, which facilitates donations from pharmaceutical and medical supply companies. CardioStart volunteers typically visit countries that are war-torn or trying to recover from social or financial hardships. Locations are selected based entirely on need without regard for political or religious attitudes. Countries assisted so far include Albania, Bolivia, Egypt, Jordan and Ukraine.
All volunteers ask for during their two-week stays is a place to sleep and food.
In January, Dr. Marath led a group of USF medical personnel to Iraq, where pediatric and adult operations and investigational procedures were performed. CardioStart volunteers are currently working toward funding the trip to Albania in January. For more information on CardioStart, call Dr. Marath at 251-7873. The Institute on Aging has been designated one of the charities for the upcoming GTE Suncoast Golf Classic, which will be held from Feb. 12 to 18. All volunteers will receive a free one-day pass to the tournament.