Discovering EECP
Why EECP?
LeAnn’s Story
My father and a grandmother had strokes at age 53, my grandfather and several of my uncles died of heart attacks in their 60s and one of my younger brothers died at age 46 during a routine angioplasty. Chances were good that I could have a debilitating stroke or heart attack as well, but I wanted to try to change those odds. I had five children who I wanted to watch grow up and have families of their own, so I exercised, was careful what I ate and watched my weight. The doctors consistently said my heart looked great. So how did I end up in the hospital with a massive heart attack? .
Over the next four and a half years I had 2 more heart attacks, more stents and bypass surgery. Things seemed more promising after my surgery, until my cardiologist did another angiogram and found that the bypass of my right artery had failed. I couldn’t have more stents or another bypass of that artery. It was gone, but strenuous exercise might help me grow new capillaries to carry oxygen and nutrients to the right side of my heart. I exercised diligently, but continued to have chest pains.
Then another doctor suggested I try EECP. It sounded too good to be true, but it was FDA and Medicare approved and hundreds of studies showed it could reduce angina, strengthen the heart and grow new arteries – and do it more efficiently than a daily exercise routine. Nothing else had worked for me. What was there to lose?
Within weeks of starting EECP, amazing things began to happen. My angina was gone, I had more energy and my legs were no longer swelling. In time, my doctor reduced my medications. I felt great!
But I was baffled. Why didn’t everyone with heart disease know about EECP? Why weren’t patients told it might be an option instead of stents and surgery, if time allowed? EECP vs. open heart surgery? It didn’t seem like a difficult decision to me. I only wish I had discovered EECP before I needed open heart surgery.
I can only share my experience, but according to the Mayo Clinic this remarkable therapy has helped hundreds of thousands of people improve their quality of life. That is worth celebrating!
A Quest
Seeing the difference it made in my life, members of my family, including a brother-in-law with Parkinson’s and another younger brother, who developed heart disease in his 50s, wanted to try EECP therapy. We searched for clinics in their area, but found that few clinics in the US offer EECP Therapy, even though it is widely available in China, India and other countries. Thousands of patients continue to suffer from angina and other vascular diseases that medication and even invasive surgeries are not able to resolve. Wanting to help anyone who might benefit from EECP, our team of professionals decided to open Thrive EECP in Utah.
Our Mission
We believe in EECP. We believe it has the power to relieve a lot of suffering and discouragement. Our mission is to help everyone discover this safe, effective therapy, giving them the opportunity to weigh their treatment options, in consultation with their medical team, to decide whether EECP might help improve their quality of life.
Our Vision
It is our hope that EECP will become the therapy of choice for preventing and treating arterial disease, avoiding stents and surgeries when possible, and strengthening lung and muscle capacity for happier, healthier lives.
Our Core Values
- Welcoming: We embrace the opportunity to greet and know each client.
- Passionate: We care about each client and delight in their successes.
- Compassionate: We are committed to listening and responding to the needs of each client
- Integrity: We will be respectful of the privacy and the wishes of each client.
Our Team
LeAnn is a Co-founder and CEO of Thrive EECP. which she was motivated to establish to help those suffering from cardiovascular disease have longer, healthier lives. After personally experiencing the power of EECP to restore blood flow and strength, LeAnn realized this remarkable therapy could relieve a lot of unnecessary pain and suffering for patients and their families.
Having lost loved ones unnecessarily to strokes and heart disease, LeAnn committed to do everything she canto make EECP more widely available.
LeAnn knows the importance of health and family. She has raised five children , served on the Governor’s Council on Families, helped establish a magnet school and worked with several organizations that serve those who are homeless or in need.
Her education includes a JD from Rutgers University Law School, MA from The George Washington University, and a BA from Weber State University, where she was named, Woman of the Year.
With over 20 years in health, wellness, and weight management, I'm passionate about empowering individuals to achieve optimal health and live life to the fullest. Driven by a family history of heart disease and my own personal weight loss challenges, I embarked on a continuous learning journey, exploring and certifying in various weight-loss strategies like Dr. Abravanel's body typing code and Mils wellness coaching. Fueled by this dedication to knowledge and continued research, specializing in nutrition and overall well-being allowed me to refine my approach during my 12 years at Jenny Craig as the Area Manager.
My passion for health extends beyond individual coaching. I also possess years of experience in business management. I previously owned and operated a successful health and wellness center, strategically expanding it to 4 locations across Utah and Idaho. This experience provides me with valuable insights into the operational side of health and wellness, allowing me to better understand and support the needs of both clients and practitioners.
Now, at Thrive EECP, I leverage this experience and integrate evidence-based practices like EECP to empower individuals towards optimal health, empowering them to actively engage in activities they love.
Dr. Alex Pingree grew up in a suburb of Denver, CO. He completed his undergraduate studies with a BS degree in exercise science from Brigham Young University in Provo, UT. He then went to medical school at Midwestern University Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in Downers Grove, IL where he joined the US Air Force as part of the Health Professions Scholarship Program. After graduating from medical school, the Air Force assigned him to a 1-year Internal Medicine internship in San Antonio at the San Antonio Military Medical Center. He then moved back to Chicago to complete his residency in Emergency Medicine. After finishing residency, he completed his 3-year active-duty service commitment to the USAF as an ER doctor at the Mike O'Callaghan Military Medical Center on Nellis Air Force Base just outside of Las Vegas, NV. During that time, he deployed to Qatar for 6 months as part of a Ground Surgical Team. Since fulfilling this commitment, Dr. Pingree and his family now live in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada where he is a partner in an Emergency Medicine practice. In his free time, he loves outdoor activities including hiking, camping, running, and golf.
Jeff Wheeler is a co-founder of Thrive EECP, building on his past success in providing exceptional and innovative care for those who’s healthcare needs are under served by present medical services. Jeff is co-founder and CEO of Children’s Surgery Centers (CSC),a chain of specialty surgery centers that treats children on Medicaid.
Prior to founding CSC, Jeff was a consultant with The Boston Consulting Group in the Washington, D.C. office whereJeff advised Fortune 500 clients on organizational design, strategy, and corporate development projects. Prior to BCG, Jeff worked at:The Healthcare practice of the Clayton Christensen Institute, researching and publishing work on disruptive innovation in Healthcare.
Jeff graduated with an MBA from Harvard Business School, a JD from Harvard Law School, and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Brigham Young University with a BA in Economics.
