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Daniel P. Figgins Memorial Foundation February 2009 Newsletter
Testing
As of January 30, 2009, we have tested 82 Officers with 27 more scheduled. Just over 47% have some type of plaque buildup in their arteries.
We sent 80 Officers using the $20,000.00 we received from the Kane County DUI task force. Since then, we have had 46 more officers sign up to be tested.
The following agencies have officers that have been tested or on the list to be tested:
Aurora Police Department
Batavia Police Department
Elgin Police Department
Kane County Sheriff's
St. Charles Police Department
South Elgin Police Department
Wheaton Police Department
Elmhurst Police Department
Dupage County Sheriff's
Sleepy Hollow Police Department
Carpentersville Police Department
Hanover Park Police Department
Personal Stories
After sending a St. Charles officer to be tested we received this email back with the authorization to use publicly.
"I wanted to thank you again for this opportunity. If it wasn't for this foundation, I know I would not have gone to have my heart checked.
I also wanted to let you know that they have located plaque that had built up in 2 of my arteries. This has opened my eyes and made me evaluate my life and habits. I am using this opportunity to change my lifestyle and eating habits.
The main reason is because I have a young daughter and I want to be there for her long after I retire.
Without your foundation providing me with this opportunity, I never would have had this procedure done and my arteries would have gotten much worse."
Upcoming Events - Save the Date
August 16, 2009 - First Annual Daniel P. Figgins Memorial Foundation "Healthy Hearts for Heroes" 15k and 5k Run and 2 Mile walk - Pottawatomie Park, St. Charles, IL. - More information coming soon! We need volunteers or anyone wishing to be on the planning committee.
Cost of the run is $25.00.
Registration is open online at http://www.signmeup.com/62386
Spring 2009 - Kane County Sheriff's Car Show benefiting the Foundation.
In the News
February 3, 2009 - Daily Courier News
Foundation provides heart scans for local cops, results show need is there
February 3, 2009
By ERIN CALANDRIELLO
Local police officers are tackling heart disease in honor of St. Charles Sgt. Daniel P. Figgins, who died of a heart attack on the job in 2005.
The Daniel P. Figgins Memorial Foundation recently announced it has received a $20,000 grant from the Kane County DUI Task Force to have local police officers tested for heart disease.
Eighty officers from Elgin, St. Charles, Batavia and Sleepy Hollow are using this grant to "prevent the death of a law enforcement officer" and "know the risks to their profession," said Craig Figgins, brother of the fallen officer and executive director of the foundation.
"You've got to run every now and then and get into wrestling matches with people," said Elgin Sgt. Lee Phillips, 39, whose dad had quadruple bypass surgery a few years ago. "If you don't have a strong heart, you can find out the hard way that it's not strong."
Lee, who has been on the force for almost 17 years, had a test done Tuesday, and the results turned out well, he said.
Elgin Sgt. Phil Danner, 46, who took the test two weeks ago, had similar results. This good news surprised him, because he's been on medication for high cholesterol over the past 11 years.
"I'm not a spring chicken anymore," Danner said in describing why he got the heart scan. "It's a high-stress job, and we have a tendency to hit a lot of fast-food joints when we're busy."
Both Phillips and Danner received the gold-standard electron beam computed tomography heart scan, a test that was introduced to the Chicago area in 1993 and one the American Heart Association endorses.
The foundation's mission to provide free heart scans came after Sgt. Figgins' death. He was dispatched to investigate suspicious activity at St. Charles East High School. Shortly after being the first officer to arrive at the scene, he advised dispatch that he was in a foot pursuit. When backup officers arrived, they found Figgins unresponsive on the ground. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead due to a heart attack.
Other officers could become victims of heart disease, according to foundation officials.
Because of privacy laws, the foundation doesn't know the specific results of each officer's tests. But Craig Figgins said that about 40 percent of those tests so far have indicated that they "have some form of plaque buildup in their arteries, and 7 to 8 percent have serious buildup."
More and more officers are taking the tests, according to Figgins, who said there's a current waiting list of 45 more officers.
Danner, who has been on the force for 24 years, agreed that many of his colleagues are signed up to take the test and they're "more motivated to eat better and exercise more" in light of the scan.
The Daniel P. Figgins Memorial Foundation is a charitable organization, and donations to further this cause can be made online at www.dpfigginsmemorialfoundation.org or by mail addressed to Daniel P. Figgins Memorial Foundation, P.O. Box 6054, Elgin, IL 60121.
In Memory of
On Sunday February 1, 2009 Retired Elgin Police Sgt. Ed Ufland passed away of a heart attack. Ed spent many years on the Police Department and was highly respected by all. It also hits home to our family as he was our cousin.
Services are:
Wait Ross Allanson Funeral Home
51 Center St
Elgin, IL 60120
Thursday, February 5th - Visitation 4p-8p
Friday, February 6th - Funeral - 11am
Ongoing Fundraising Events
If you are local (St. Charles IL Area) we have a highly rated Auto Repair shop that will donate 10% back to the Foundation for any service performed. This includes oil changes, brake service, etc.
Autopractor
1820 Production Dr, St Charles, IL 60174
http://www.autopractor.com
We have our own Cyber Shopping Mall, our link is:
http://www.igive.com/DPFMF
Igive allows us to receive up to 8% on any purchase for over 680 name brand stores. If you are tired of the malls or stores, register, shop and donate to a cause!
Also, we have registered with iSearch. This is a internet based search engine that gives .01 each time used. There is no need to register, just go to http://www.isearchigive.com type in Daniel P. Figgins Memorial Foundation and save as your homepage or bookmark as your search engine. Each time you search, use iSearch instead of Google, etc and the Foundation will receive .01 per search.
Facebook
Did you know we have a Facebook Group?
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=25696029284
eBay
Did you know we are a certified eBay charity?
http://donations.ebay.com/charity/charity.jsp?NP_ID=28225
Now anyone that sells on eBay can select us to receive 10%-100% of the amount of the item for sale! What do you have laying around the house?
How to Donate
1. Paypal http://www.paypal.com send to
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
2. Donate via Credit Card here http://www.signmeup.com/62387
3. Send Check or Money Order to:
Daniel P Figgins Memorial Foundation
PO Box 6054
Elgin, IL 60121-6054
We are a 501 (c)(3) Charity and you will receive a receipt for tax purposes.
As always, we thank you for your support at helping us meet our mission:
The mission of the Daniel P Figgins Memorial Foundation is to carry on the memory of Sgt. Daniel P Figgins and continue his service to the community by taking proactive measures to lower the heart related deaths by law enforcement officers.
We will fulfill this mission by:
Education and Awareness
Funding Heart Checks
Supporting Research at a National and Local Level
Supporting Approved Charities
The Daniel P. Figgins Memorial Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.
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