1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team Goalie to Discuss Winning at Hockey and Beating Heart Disease

Jim Craig Featured at Feb. 22 Open-to-the-Public Event

Blue Island, Feb. 1, 2012 – Most famous for goaltending on the 1980 gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic Hockey team, Jim Craig is coming to MetroSouth Medical Center, Blue Island, to talk about topics near and dear to his heart:  hockey and a condition called abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).  On Wednesday, Feb. 22, 3 to 5 p.m. in the lobby of the hospital, located at 12935 S. Gregory St., the “Miracle” team star, whose father died of AAA, will discuss the importance of regular screenings and prevention.

Along with his presentation about AAA, Craig will hand out autographed photographs.  The event, held in conjunction with Heart Care Centers of Illinois (HCCI), includes information on AAA, free peripheral artery disease (PAD) screenings and a raffle for up to 20 free screenings for AAA to those who qualify.  In addition, attendees will be treated to heart-healthy foods and presentations about heart-healthy menus.   

At the 1980 Lake Placid Olympic games, Craig was indispensable to Team USA’s epic – some call miraculous – upset of the Soviet Union. In the game against the Soviets, Jim made 39 saves and his teammates scored four times. Two days later, against Finland, Craig’s performance was again superb, and the United States won, 4 to 2, to take the Olympic gold.

Off the ice, Craig lost his father to AAA.  While an estimated 15,000 people each year die from AAA in the U.S., early detection and treatment can save lives. AAA occurs when the arterial wall has become weak or damaged by accumulation of cholesterol-containing fatty deposits (atherosclerosis), which creates a bulge in the wall that grows over time. When an aneurysm gets too large, it can rupture and cause life-threatening bleeding or instantaneous death -- without any prior warning.

"People ask me how I first knew that my dad had AAA," says Craig. "I know it sounds harsh - but I want everyone to get the message - I first knew that my dad had AAA when he was dead. If we had known in time for the aneurysm to be repaired, my father could have had more time with us. Today a quick and painless ultrasound can detect AAA."

To find out more about the event, log on to www.metrosouthmedicalcenter.com.  To register, please contact Gloria at 708-489-7927.

About MetroSouth Medical Center’s Cardiac Care

MSMC, which provides advanced cardiac interventional procedures and offers a state-of-the-art heart catheterization lab, is recognized for outstanding cardiac care. Thirty years ago, the hospital was among the first in Chicago, and the nation, to offer angioplasty, a procedure used to unblock narrowed arteries.  Since that time, more than 17,000 angioplasties and more than 16,000 open heart surgeries have been performed at MSMC. MSMC cardiologists are specially trained in diagnosing and treating, with minimally-invasive procedures, PAD, AAA and many other heart conditions.