Kevin Love to Speak at 11th Annual Patient Experience Digital Summit

Kevin Love, professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Founder of the Kevin Love Fund will join HIMSS and Cleveland Clinic as a speaker at the 11^th annual Patient Experience: Empathy and Innovation Digital Summit on May 12-13, 2021.

In addition to his athletic accolades—including, five NBA All-Star selections, an NBA Championship in 2016, an Olympic gold medal in 2012, and a FIBA World Championship in 2010—Love has become a public figure for his work to help normalize the conversation surrounding mental health.

After a panic attack during an NBA game in 2017, Love decided to share his battle with anxiety and depression in an essay he wrote for The Players’ Tribune. Love quickly evolved into a public spokesperson for mental health awareness among athletes. “I was nervous about how I was going to be received. There’s so many people who are dealing with anxiety disorder or depression or mental health issues across the board. Having that community and being vulnerable allowed me to take the evolution in my life. Being able to speak about it has been therapy for me as well,” Kevin Love explained to Cleveland Clinic CEO and President, Tom Mihaljevic, MD.

Continuing his advocacy in this space, in 2018 he founded the Kevin Love Fund, dedicated to inspiring people to live their healthiest lives while providing the tools to achieve physical and emotional well-being. Since then, Love’s work in mental health awareness has been recognized worldwide. He was awarded the Change Maker Award by the Child Mind Institute, the NBA Cares Assist Award, the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2020 ESPYS, and a finalist for the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award for his advocacy and awareness efforts.

Cleveland Clinic and HIMSS recognize the imperative need to unite healthcare leaders and explore the pivotal patient experiences and clinical considerations that have overwhelmed our hospitals and health systems the past year.