Carle Illinois College of Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the Butkus Foundation have launched a new partnership to advance life-saving cardiovascular screenings. The partnership unites the Butkus Foundation’s national reach and advocacy with Carle Illinois’ expertise at the intersection of engineering and medicine.
Fans of football great Dick Butkus, who gained his initial stardom as a linebacker great at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, pay tribute after his passing by placing flowers and mementos at the feet of the bronze statue dedicated to the Illini linebacker great.
The collaboration builds on the Takes Heart™ initiative — a national effort inspired by Hall of Fame NFL linebacker Dick Butkus after a 2001 heart scan revealed three 100% blocked arteries and two 95% blocked arteries, despite having no symptoms. The life-saving quintuple bypass that immediately followed extended his life by 23 years and inspired his decades-long advocacy for early detection and prevention.
Carle Illinois and the Butkus Foundation aim to continue and increase public awareness about the importance of heart health screenings, even for those without symptoms.
The partnership will initially focus on CT Calcium Score screenings for University of Illinois and Big Ten football coaches during the 2025 season, but aims to expand offerings, including the creation of a center that will leverage Carle Illinois’ cutting-edge AI and advanced imaging to predict and prevent sudden cardiac death. The center will be led by Carle Illinois College of Medicine and honor Butkus.
“This partnership reflects my father’s belief that preventive screenings save lives,” said Matt Butkus, son of Dick Butkus and President of the Butkus Foundation. “We chose Carle Illinois College of Medicine because it’s the world’s first engineering-based college of medicine, uniquely positioned to harness pioneering AI technologies to advance health care, research heart health, and save lives. Together, we can make a next-level impact.”
As part of the collaboration, the partners will lead the development of a groundbreaking, HIPAA-compliant cardiovascular health database powered by AI. This database will collect and analyze screening results to identify patterns, inform new prevention measures, advance heart health knowledge, and develop innovative treatments.
“By combining the Butkus Foundation’s legacy and reach with Carle Illinois’ AI-driven innovations, we are taking a game-changing step toward preventing sudden cardiac events. These life-saving advances in screening will benefit countless people around the country and across the globe,” said Dr. Mark Cohen, Dean of Carle Illinois College of Medicine. “Through this collaborative partnership, The Butkus Foundation will have access to new groundbreaking AI-driven screening methods to better identify risk for sudden cardiac events. Investment in important initiatives like this will benefit millions of at-risk men and women globally. With the right investment, we can accelerate, scale, and democratize these screening tools to reach those who need them most.”
Carle Illinois College of Medicine will continue to push the boundaries of AI in cardiovascular care, exploring how advanced data analytics, pattern recognition, and predictive modeling can improve heart health outcomes on a broad scale.
The Dick Butkus Center for Cardiac Testing at Orange Heart Institute in Orange, CA has screened more than 50,000 at-risk individuals, with thousands more screened through advocacy driven by the nationally broadcast Butkus Awards® on the Big Ten Network.
The new initiative by Carle Illinois College of Medicine and the Butkus Foundation was featured in an August Big Ten Today broadcast found here, showcasing joint leadership from both organizations.
About Carle Illinois College of Medicine
Carle Illinois College of Medicine is the world’s first engineering-based college of medicine, integrating engineering, medicine, and advanced technology to train physician innovators who will transform health care. The college is a partnership between the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Carle Health.
About the Butkus Foundation
The Butkus Foundation drives positive change through its programs, including the Butkus Award®, the I Play Clean® program, and Takes Heart™. The foundation honors the legacy of Dick Butkus by inspiring excellence in athletic performance, promoting healthy lifestyles, and supporting heart health awareness and screenings.
Media contact:
Ryann Monahan
Executive Director of Marketing and Communications
Carle Illinois College of Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
(217) 300-6658 | ryann@illinois.edu