WJBF
by: Ashley Jones
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – One man helping others in the CSRA after his own health scare.
Wayne Canty wants to give back after surviving a long battle with congestive heart failure along with other health issues for nearly two decades.
“God has given me this vision to go out and build this foundation,” said Wayne Canty, founder of Heart to Heart Pharmaceutical Assistance Foundation.
Canty calls himself a miracle.
Canty says, “I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure back in 2004″Butt”The first thing I said was am I dying”
Canty underwent his first surgery that same year. He had an L Vad bag attached to him and was put on medication, that later damaged his kidney.
“And that was because of the fluid building up in my body getting to my heart because they were trying to stop the fluid from getting from my heart, it was like a catch 22, like well we’ll get the fluid from around your heart, but it might be hurting your kidneys during the process,” he said.
Canty was on that medication as well as that bag for nearly a decade, but last year, he finally got the news he’d been waiting for.
“He says Mr. Canty we found you a heart. He said we’ll have to implant you in the next 72 hours, and then after that we gone do a kidney transplant,” said Canty.
Canty received his new heart on December 9th and his new kidney on December 13th. That was 4 days before his 56th birthday. He says his journey led him to start the Heart to Heart Pharmaceutical Assistance Foundation.
“God had given me the vision, he said well Wayne somebody gave you a heart, somebody gave you a kidney, I want you to go out and start this foundation,” he says.
Canty says from his experience being on medication for his health issues, he knew firsthand how costly it can be. His foundation will cover the costs of prescription medications for those who can’t afford them.
“I’m not trying to create a new entity, I just want to be another resource for people who need it,” said Canty.
And now he’s celebrating his partnership with Barney’s Pharmacy on Peach Orchard Road.
“We don’t want nobody to walk out of Barney’s Pharmacy and say, well, we want to put this medication back because I don’t have 15 dollars, we don’t want that to happen and I promise you that will not happen. Not as long as my foundation is connected to Barney’s Pharmacy,” he said.
Now he’s pulling on the community to help grow this foundation.
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AUGUSTA, GA ( WJBF) – Dozens of high school and college baseball players showed up to Lake Olmstead Stadium Monday ready to knock it out of the park.
” I’m excited to be here. I’m ready for whatever they send our way. We’re just going to knock it out,” college baseball player Hunter Sky Foster said.
The Production crew for the new film ” The Hill’ held a casting call for baseball players.
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Millions in American Rescue Act funds brought a new wrinkle to this year’s budget sessions with 11 million dollars of the funds still unassigned, with commissioners saying they how they would like to see it used.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF)– Some local health care providers haven’t gotten their hands on the COVID vaccine for kids 5-11 yet.
Augusta University Health expects to get their first doses this week. They say they have a plan, and they’ll hit the ground running.