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We’re celebrating our 40th anniversary in 2023, and we’re so excited to take a journey back in time with you to celebrate. We hope you’ll join us for #40andforward!

Don’t miss a moment of it: follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram to see these 40 weeks of hope unfold (and while you’re at it – follow us on YouTube and TikTok, too!)

If you missed them, here are the first two weeks of our look back at 40 of the most significant moments in Help Hope Live’s history.

We Saw a Need

Two black-and-white photos from our nonprofit's founding in 1983. First is founder Dr. Jack Kolff, a heart transplant surgeon, as he is interviewed. Second is co-founder Pat Kolff, a nurse, who is grinning as she speaks on the telephone. Graphic reads 40 and Forward: Donate Now to Honor Our History

By 1983, new procedures were pushing health technology forward—and in the process, bringing new hope to patients and families. But there was a problem.

As technology advanced, the associated out-of-pocket medical costs climbed sky-high. Insurance companies viewed cutting-edge procedures like heart transplants as “experimental” and declined to cover them.

So much hope lay just out of reach for so many patients due to the associated financial burden.

…and We Took Action

A graphic reads 40 and Forward. Donate Now to Take Action with two photos from Help Hope Live's history. First, Jack and Pat Kolff smile outdoors wearing business attire. Second, Pat is pictured in a full-length Philadelphia Inquirer news story in black and white: Helping Out People Who Need Hearts.

Our founders—a pioneering heart transplant surgeon and his wife, a nurse—couldn’t sit by and watch patient families struggle to afford the gift of life. They didn’t just care: they took action.

In 1983, the National Heart Assist & Transplant Fund was born as we launched a nonprofit mission that we’d remain dedicated to for the four decades to come.

We saw a need, and we took action to meet it.

In that action, as a new nonprofit came to life, we found hope.

Are You Coming?

Join us for our #40andforward celebration! Share your own Help Hope Live memory on social media, or pledge your “$40 for 40” to support our General Operating Fund today.

Written by Emily Progin

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Permobil

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The Do Gooders

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The Esther & Pedro Rosenblatt Foundation 

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Lindo Foundation

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Costco

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Foxwynd Foundation

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SureHands Lift & Care

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Stout

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Kennedy Krieger International Center for Spinal Cord Injury

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Jefferson Health

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Independence Blue Cross

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DigiStream

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Glenmede

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United Access

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Transplant Alliance Foundation

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Bridge to Mobility

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Reeve Foundation

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ADT Medical Alert

Get immediate medical assistance at a push of a button. Take $6 off with code: HHL6. Not available in Puerto Rico.

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Feeldom

7% off all products excluding pre-orders, promotional discounts, or accessory items.

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Smart Adaptive Clothing

10% off – Contact Help Hope Live for code

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Patti + Ricky

10% off with code HelpHopeLive10

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Reboundwear

15% off with code HHL

BILLY Footwear

20% off applied at checkout (click on BILLY logo to apply special pricing and start shopping)

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Ex N’ Flex

Movement for Life. 10% discount on EF-250 Leg Range of Motion Therapy Device

WheelEEZ

$200 Rebate on Sandcruiser® and Sandiper® All-Terrain Beach Chairs

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Active Hands

10% off – Contact Help Hope Live for code

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Ultimate Workout and Recovery

10% off Latex Free Base Edition

VitaGlide

Improve your health with a great cardio-strengthening-conditioning workout! Enjoy a $200 Rebate when you mention Help Hope Live.

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Cherry Wheels

Cherry Wheels creates stylish, expressive wheel covers that empower wheelchair users of all ages to showcase their personality with pride. Get 10% off with code HHL10.

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The LapSnap

A versatile, adaptive basket for individuals who use wheelchairs, prioritizing comfort and independence for grocery shopping, laundry, or gardening. Get $15 off with code: HHL15

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Spinergy

Wheelchair wheels with PBO spoke technology
10% off products with code: HOPE10. Free shipping within the USA.

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Vapor Wheels

Wheelchair Wheels Built with Bike Technology. 10% off with code: HELPHOPELIVE. Free shipping within the US.

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Wheelie Cool Stuff

10% off with code: HELPHOPELIVE.
Free shipping within the US.

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Frog Legs

Global leader in shock absorbing forks for wheelchairs. Use code HHL10 or click the logo to auto apply a 10% discount to your cart.

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Rollx Vans

$1,000 Instant Rebate

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Global Genes Alliance

Born to connect, empower and inspire the rare disease community.

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Firstrust Bank

Philadelphia’s Hometown Bank℠

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Abilities Expo

The event for the disability community

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Prelude Solutions

Your first step to optimized communications

KYW Newsradio 1060

All news, and all that matters to you

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Consult with specially-trained pharmacists. Get your medications for pickup or delivery.

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AMS VANS

One of the largest mobility dealers in the U.S.

$500 Instant Rebate

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Vantage Mobility International

Building leading-edge mobility products

$1,000 Instant Rebate

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MobilityWorks

Accessibility for all: Helping people connect with who and what matters most