In Midtown Detroit, near New Center One at Henry Ford Health System's Center for Athletic
Medicine, John Callaway is part of a special exercise program called PREVENT.
A battery-operated heart pump called an LVAD keeps his heart beating; he walks, works out,
meditates and learns about health and nutrition in PREVENT, a medically-supervised exercise
program for people with long-term health issues.
Sometimes I forget that I even have it on.
A small control box runs John's LVAD, or Left Ventricular Assist Device.
Two battery packs at the belt on his waist ensure he always has power and a backup.
A small tube runs into John's belly with wires feeding electricity to the pump that keeps
his heart beating until he receives a heart transplant.
One of my brothers, they call me the Iron Man or Bionic Man cause I have my equipment.
The LVAD has helped John come into the PREVENT program and exercise and like a lot of other
LVAD patients we see, help improve his strength and endurance and ultimately help him live
a better life.