LVADStrong at the Lowell Folk Festival
July 28, 2025
LVADStrong raised awareness and shared stories at the Lowell Folk Festival this summer.
July 28, 2025
LVADStrong raised awareness and shared stories at the Lowell Folk Festival this summer.
The streets of downtown Lowell were packed this summer for the annual Lowell Folk Festival, but among the music, art, and food, one booth stood out for its mission rather than its merchandise. LVADStrong showed up with a clear purpose: connect with the community, raise awareness about heart failure, and make sure no one living with an LVAD feels invisible.
Over the course of the weekend, LVADStrong volunteers shared their stories, handed out resources, and had honest, eye-opening conversations with people. Most had never even heard of a Left Ventricular Assist Device. That changed quickly. For many visitors, this was their first exposure to what it really means to live with advanced heart failure. For others, it was a chance to share their own stories or ask questions they had never felt comfortable asking before.
The LVADStrong booth was more than an information table. People stopped by for the free drinks and stayed for the real talk. Visitors met actual LVAD patients and caregivers who knew exactly what it feels like to face this condition head-on. Those conversations were personal. They were vulnerable. And they were powerful.
LVADStrong is a grassroots nonprofit powered by people who have been there. The team is made up of LVAD patients and caregivers who understand every stage of the journey: from diagnosis to surgery to the daily realities of living with a device that quite literally keeps you alive.
At the festival, that lived experience resonated. Passersby became supporters. Curious onlookers became allies. Families walking by for the music stopped to grab flyers and ask questions. Some opened up about their own heart health. Others had never considered the risks of heart failure at all.
That is the exact reason LVADStrong shows up to events like this. Not to sell. Not to preach. To connect. To educate. To build something that feels like a real community.
For a small nonprofit like LVADStrong, every event is a major opportunity. The organization does not have billboards or big ad budgets. It has people. People who are willing to show up and speak the truth about what it means to live with an LVAD.
Events like the Lowell Folk Festival are where the mission becomes real. Awareness is raised one conversation at a time. Every person who learns about LVADs becomes another voice that can help reduce stigma, encourage early detection, and advocate for better care.
LVADStrong does not just pop up at festivals with extra brochures. Behind every handshake and conversation is a larger mission that depends entirely on community support. Donations help fund everything—travel costs, educational materials, care packages for VAD coordinators, and support groups for patients and families.
The group may be small, but it is fierce. It is built by people who understand what it means to be scared, tired, overwhelmed, and still show up anyway. They know this work matters, because they have lived the reasons why.
That is why every dollar counts. It means another event table. Another care package. Another support group. Another patient who no longer feels alone.
After the success at the Lowell Folk Festival, LVADStrong is not slowing down. With every event, the movement grows. LVADStrong is proving that you do not need a big budget to make a big impact. You just need heart.
Help LVADStrong keep showing up. Donate, volunteer, or share the mission. Because every patient deserves support. Every caregiver deserves recognition. And every conversation could save a life.
