Bo Schembechler is the winningest coach in U-M football history, his legacy still a major point of pride for Wolverines young and old. After he led the U-M football team to prominence, he worked tirelessly to do the same for heart health.
Schembechler suffered from serious heart disease. He recognized that scientific advances in medicine allowed him to live a longer, healthier life. With an entirely new game plan in mind, he and his wife Cathy established the Bo Schembechler Heart of a Champion Research Fund at the University of Michigan Samuel and Jean Frankel Cardiovascular Center. His vision was to create an ongoing means for investing in research that pushes the boundaries of current thought in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Understanding the importance of teamwork, Bo felt strongly that the fund should support collaborative research efforts, bringing together investigators of varied disciplines to view cardiovascular challenges in new ways that would foster breakthrough discoveries. From making groundbreaking research possible, to attracting the leaders and best to Michigan, the Heart of a Champion Research Fund has the potential to revolutionize cardiovascular medicine.
Heart Disease, Stroke and other Cardiovascular Diseases Statistics (From AHA 2017 Report)
- Cardiovascular disease, listed as the underlying cause of death, accounts for nearly 801,000 deaths in the US. That’s about 1 of every 3 deaths in the US.
- About 2,200 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each day, an average of 1 death every 40 seconds.
- Cardiovascular diseases claim more lives each year than all forms of cancer and Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease combined.
- About 92.1 million American adults are living with some form of cardiovascular disease or the after-effects of stroke.
- Direct and indirect costs of cardiovascular diseases and stroke are estimated to total more than $316 billion.
Contact Us
To learn more about the initiative, including the different options available to make a gift to support cardiovascular research, please contact: