The Kletschka Foundation

The Kletschka Foundation was established by Harold, Dale Kletschka, M.D. in 2003.

The Kletschka Foundation exists to defend, protect and enhance human life and promote Dr. K’s values. Dr. K, co-inventor of BioPump(trademark symbol), the artificial heart blood pump used by Perfusionists in operating room and hospital settings. BioPump has aided surgeons’ ability to safely control and maintain oxygenated blood flow during medical procedures when the heart requires assistance pumping blood or when circumventing blood flow around the heart can allow repairs to be made.

Today, the Kletschka Foundation supports individuals and organizations committed to protecting, preserving and uplifting human life. Please feel free to contribute generously and know that your resources will help continue Dr. K’s efforts to positively impact lives in diverse ways.

Harold D. Kletschka

Harold D. Kletschka, MD, is celebrated for his groundbreaking contributions to the field of medical technology, particularly in the realm of cardiovascular devices. Born in 1924 and raised in Lake Hubert, Minnesota, Kletschka demonstrated academic excellence early on, eventually pursuing a medical degree from the University of Minnesota. His career took him through various surgical residencies and eventually to the Air Force Cardiovascular Research Center, where he first explored the potential of using centrifugal pumps in artificial heart devices. This research laid the foundation for his later innovations.

Driven by a desire to create the perfect artificial heart, Kletschka joined the faculty at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York, and collaborated with engineer Edson Rafferty to develop the Kletschka-Rafferty Artificial Heart. Together, they founded Bio-Medicus®, Inc. to bring their inventions to market. Despite facing challenges, including a legal battle over control of the company, Kletschka’s perseverance and dedication to his work remained unwavering.

Kletschka’s achievements include the invention of the Bio-Pump®, a highly successful heart assist device used in a significant portion of open-heart procedures worldwide. His contributions have revolutionized cardiovascular medicine, earning him recognition as a pioneer in the field and ensuring his legacy as a key figure in medical innovation.

Barbara G. Kletschka

Barbara Kletschka is a parishioner of The Church of the Good Shepherd in Golden Valley, Minnesota and the youngest sister of Colonel Harold D. Kletschka, M.D, LL.B. Despite being healthy, in 1975, Ms. Kletschka, Lab Tech at Abbott Hospital, volunteered to be the first person on whom BioPump would be clinically applied to fulfill the FDA requirements and gain approval for widespread application in open heart surgeries enabling surgeons to safely route the blood around the heart so essential repairs to the heart can be made. The advancement BioPump represented made open heart surgery considerably safer and thus, much more available to people around the world.

The first human test in which Ms. Kletschka was test subject was wildly successful and represented a major advancement in the design and eventual patent of the fully implantable artificial heart that would include power source and controls. BioPump is still the key component in the heart/lung machine initially developed and sold by BioMedicus, the company her brother cofounded.  BioPump, co-invented by “Dr. K” has been used in more than sixty million vital surgeries worldwide and is sold today by Medtronic as it remains the gold standard for safely moving human blood without imparting damage to blood cells.

Ms Kletschka is a vital member of the Kletschka Foundation, and is dedicated to supporting causes that protect, enhance and extend human life.