CHAMPIONS is a vascular prevention and wellness initiative that delivers free screenings and education to the public while promoting equitable patient-centered evidence-based care. The vision is to have a future where every individual, irrespective of background or economic status, has access to proactive, community-driven healthcare that prevents vascular disease and promotes long-term wellness.

The Peer-Pal Support Intervention, led by Dr. Tze-Woei Tan and Dr. Emily Rosario, introduces a culturally responsive, equity-driven care model. By training individuals with healed diabetic foot ulcers to mentor newly diagnosed patients, the program helps break down systemic and social barriers to care. Early outcomes highlight its potential to empower patients, boost self-care, enhance communication with providers, and reduce reliance on clinical resources—offering a scalable solution for underserved communities.

Our Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Microgrant Program funds innovative patient partner-led work to increase awareness and screening of PAD. This year we are supporting Kim Campbell, a passionate vascular health advocate who lost her mother to advanced PAD. Kim is working in Atlanta to build a network of patient partners, raise awareness about this devastating condition, and train future patient advocates.

We are dedicated to empowering patients and caregivers to become equal partners in care and research because we know that the patient voice is crucial to ensuring real, tangible impact. Our Patients are Partners program creates a network of patients who develop engagement skills through education, mentorship and community resources, to support their participation in vascular health research and care.

“My research helps develop better treatment options for the 10 million Americans with diabetic foot ulcers who are at risk for a major lower extremity amputation,” says the 2022 Wylie Scholar, Tammy Nguyen, MD PhD. Tammy, a researcher at the University of Massachusetts, is studying cells from bone marrow of patients with amputated limbs or toes to improve wound healing in diabetic patients.

Our Collaborative Patient-Centered Research grants fund high-risk, collaborative science that prioritizes the patient perspective. In 2021 we awarded a grant to a team from University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, and Stanford to address a mismatch between how patients and clinicians measure symptoms and define treatment goals. The overall purpose of this work is to prioritize patients’ activity goals and inform treatment models.

We are leading a 2-year project supported by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to address the lack of patient engagement in chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) research, engaging dozens of patients and caregivers. Data shows that patient engagement in research improves patient outcomes, but patient engagement is rare in CLTI. This project is particularly meaningful given the high mortality and amputation rates associated with this disease.

Our Learning Hub for Non-Specialists is a new educational resource on patient-centric care for peripheral artery disease (PAD) and coronary artery disease (CAD). Its engaging information, videos, quizzes, and case studies give non-specialists the tools that are otherwise unavailable to medical professionals in minoritized and rural communities. As most severe symptoms of PAD & CAD arise due to non-treatment, early identification and prevention are critical.

University of Michigan’s Katherine Gallagher MD says her 2012 Wylie Scholar Award allowed her to jumpstart her lab and make discoveries regarding how immune cells regulate inflammation, which is thought to lead to vascular disease. She brings a data-driven, personalized medicine approach to patient care. A powerhouse vascular surgeon-scientist, Dr. Gallagher was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2022 for her innovative research.

In 2022 we awarded a Health Equity grant to a collaborative project team from the University of Arizona, USC, and Casa Colina Hospital. This project is addressing the increased risk of diabetic foot wounds and leg amputations among patients with peripheral artery disease from low-income neighborhoods. The team is piloting a patient-centered peer support approach to teach low-income vascular patients, who commonly experience emotional distress, coping strategies and ways to navigate the healthcare system.

Our 2022 Health Equity Grant is funding a collaborative project between Thomas Jefferson University, Temple Health, and the Frazier Family Coalition to address high amputation rates among Black men in North Philadelphia. The team is partnering with barber shops and a local community center to educate and screen men for peripheral artery disease, the leading cause of amputations, as well as train health professionals to provide preventative care.