Jim Kennedy and his family have been long-time patients of cardiologist Nimish Dhruva, M.D. During a recent appointment at Piedmont Heart of Fayetteville, the two men discussed cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPET) and Dr. Dhruva mentioned that Piedmont Fayette did not have the equipment for the test. This meant that heart failure patients often had to travel to Piedmont Atlanta to have the test done.

“Mr. Kennedy asked how much the equipment to perform the test would cost. I gave an estimate, but he asked me to look up an exact cost,” Dr. Dhruva said. “When we found it, he wanted to write a check on the spot. His generosity is beyond belief.”

A CPET assesses the performance of the heart and lungs at rest and during exercise. A patient breathes through a mouthpiece while they perform mild exercise and the purpose is to measure oxygen consumption.

As a grateful patient himself, Mr. Kennedy was inspired to make a difference for others. He met with Piedmont Fayette CEO Steve Porter and Andrea Mendez, director of Major Gifts, to discuss his potential gift of support. Once Mr. Kennedy was assured that the CPET test equipment would stay at Piedmont Fayette, he made a generous donation of $40,000 to the Piedmont Healthcare Foundation to fund the purchase. The hospital is currently building out the room for the equipment and plans to offer the service soon.

“We’ve developed a good relationship with Dr. Dhruva and Piedmont over the years,” said Mr. Kennedy. “It’s good for us to have this equipment on the Southside and it can really help both Piedmont and the community.”