The MitraClip had helped her shortness of breath — a common symptom of heart valve disease — but over time her breathing worsened again, she said. She joined the TriClip trial in 2023 and said the whole process was fascinating.
Haracz was one of the first people to join the Triluminate clinical trial for TriClip and had her tricuspid valve repaired in 2023.
“I’m a curious person, and I knew it was going to make me feel better,” she said, adding that the experience of participating in a clinical trial was fascinating.
“There’s a lot of preliminary testing, which was fine. I don’t mind tests,” Haracz said. “I could see after each X-ray, with the MitraClip and the TriClip, that the flow (from the leaky valve) had slowed considerably.”
The procedure itself was not painful, and she was able to come home soon afterward, Haracz said.
“It was a big leak and you could see that it had stopped. You could see the clips,” she said. “It was interesting. Everybody’s learning.”
Haracz said she feels better now, which makes it easier to play and spend time with her great-grandchildren.
“It’s been an awesome experience for me. I’m a happier, more content person,” Haracz said. “I’m feeling better. The breathing is better. And spending time with my great-grandchildren is a little easier now, I feel a little bit stronger and more comfortable in holding them and talking to them. It’s generally made a much nicer, more pleasant life for me.”
The Endeavor Health Research Institute has more than 550 active clinical trials and more than 700 clinical research studies in areas ranging from cardiology, oncology, genetics and infectious disease to patient quality, safety and experience.
With the opening of the new Endeavor Heath Cardiovascular Institute at Glenbrook Hospital, patients can access cutting-edge, comprehensive heart care as well as innovative clinical trials and research in a single landing place, from diagnosis to treatment.
“Deborah’s story tells a lot about this cardiovascular institute, which is that we are not only a place for clinical care, but we’re a place for innovation and research,” Dr. Ricciardi said.
