In a poignant ceremony at the QEII Health Sciences Centre, a heart disease clinic has been renamed in honour of a young hockey player who tragically died from an undiagnosed inherited heart condition. Jordan Boyd, a talented 16-year-old player, lost his life to Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy during a training camp in 2013. His family has since raised an impressive $1.2 million for crucial research into inherited heart disease, prompting the clinic’s renaming to the Jordan Boyd Inherited Heart Disease Clinic.
This gesture serves as a tribute to Boyd’s legacy, as well as an opportunity to continue his family’s life-saving work. They have organized various community events and fundraising initiatives to raise awareness of cardiac arrests and provide access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs). These devices, which are portable electronic defibrillators, are instrumental in aiding individuals experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest.
The heartfelt ceremony was attended by Greg Dobson, Jordan Boyd’s brother, who expressed that the renaming of the clinic was a culmination of his family’s advocacy efforts following his brother’s passing. Through their family screening provided by the clinic, Dobson discovered an unrelated health condition that required two surgeries to resolve. Moreover, he highlighted the clinic’s benefits in monitoring his family members and even conducting genetic testing on his young daughters.
Renaming the clinic on what would have been Jordan’s 27th birthday, Dobson expressed the significance of keeping Jordan’s memory alive and the impact it has had on their family. The commemoration was not only a tribute, but also a reminder of the everlasting impact that Boyd has had on the community.
Mike Janczyszyn, a coordinator for an Emergency Health Services AED registry program, commended the Boyd family’s significant impact on promoting heart-safe communities across Nova Scotia. Their efforts have played a critical role in increasing the availability of AEDs in public places, from just 240 seven years ago to almost 2,200 today.
Dr. Martin Gardner, a cardiologist and the clinic’s founder, has worked closely with Boyd’s family over the past decade. He praised their fundraising efforts, which have allowed the clinic to hire a full-time research nurse and advance their understanding of rare heart conditions through genetic testing. This has led to increased assessments for families in the Maritimes, as well as the identification of gene abnormalities in other family members.
The renaming of the clinic stands as a moving tribute to Jordan Boyd, a reminder of the impact he had on those around him, and a testament to the importance of crucial research into inherited heart diseases. The dedication and advocacy of the Boyd family have truly been invaluable in their efforts to promote heart safety and raise awareness of these life-threatening conditions.