Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Awareness Month is dedicated to raising awareness about a condition that affects up to 12 million Americans. This September, we’re shining a light on the struggles and successes of those living with PAD and celebrating our collaborative Get SET project. Designed by Cell-Ed, the Get SET project delivers essential skills training and live coaching directly to people’s phones, empowering them to take control of their health, stay active, and improve their quality of life.

The Get SET Project: Bringing Effective Exercise Therapy to Your Fingertips

The Get SET project is a groundbreaking digital intervention tailored to support people with PAD through personalized exercise therapy and health education delivered right to their mobile devices. This innovative approach reflects a critical need in healthcare: making support accessible and engaging for everyone, regardless of their location, mobility, or literacy level. Using engaging audio lessons, text nudges, activity tracking, and live coaching, Get SET makes it easy for users to stay connected, informed and active.

Proven Results: A study published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery demonstrated the significant impact of the program on people’s mobility. Participants saw marked improvements in their walking performance and overall mobility. This highlights the transformative power of mobile health interventions in chronic disease management (Source).

Despite SET being a Class IA recommendation for the management of PAD, it is underutilized despite gaining coverage approval from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in June 2017. As the heat map shows, the United States shows universally low utilization rates due in part to lack of access to in person programming. Disparities are even more glaring for black and Hispanic communities as they are two to four times more likely to experience poor outcomes such as loss of limbs and life (SaveLimbs, Change Lives).

Figure 1: Heatmap of supervised exercise therapy (SET) utilization between 2017-2021 among Medicare beneficiaries with claudication by state. (Divakaram, S. et al, 2024)

Expanding the Reach of PAD Care Through Collaboration

Cell-Ed’s mission extends beyond individual care to building a supportive community for people with PAD. The Get SET project partners with leading medical institutions, community health organizations, and medical societies to ensure holistic care for people with PAD.

• Academic Collaborations: Get SET collaborates with top academic institutions, integrating the latest research and clinical insights to provide up-to-date, tailored guidance to people.
• Community Health Networks: By partnering with community health centers and community based organizations, the program reaches underserved populations, delivering essential tools and resources to those who may lack access to traditional healthcare.
• Medical Societies and Initiatives: Working alongside medical societies like the Society for Vascular Surgery and national initiatives the Get SET project raises awareness about PAD and promotes exercise therapy as a key component of PAD management.

Celebrating Success Stories

One of the most powerful aspects of the Get SET project is the real-life success stories that illustrate its impact. Meet Diane, a 65-year-old person with PAD who regained the ability to walk her grandson to school, something she hadn’t been able to do for years. Through Get SET, Diane progressed from struggling with short walks to confidently navigating her neighborhood, showing how personalized, accessible training can change lives.

Another inspiring story is John, a retired veteran who found renewed strength and confidence through the program. After months of participating in Get SET, John accomplished something he never thought possible: completing a local 5K walk. His journey is a testament to how structured, supportive exercise therapy can empower people with PAD to overcome challenges and achieve their personal goals.

Looking Ahead: The Future of PAD Care

While millions of Americans live with PAD, many remain undiagnosed. Major risk factors include age, smoking, diabetes, and family history of cardiovascular disease. Statistics show that people with diabetes are up to seven times more likely to develop PAD, underscoring the importance of early detection, proactive management, and making accessible options more readily available to those who need it.

Join the Movement

As we mark the end of  PAD Awareness Month, the Get SET project continues to grow and evolve, expanding its reach and impact through collaborations, person-centered innovations, and a steadfast commitment to accessible health education. PAD Awareness Month is about more than recognizing the challenges people with PAD face—it’s about celebrating their resilience, progress, and victories. Programs like Get SET empower individuals to reclaim their mobility, health, and independence. 

Cell-Ed is dedicated to supporting the PAD community every step of the way.

To learn more about how Cell-Ed is transforming PAD care and how you can get involved, visit Cell-Ed.com and explore the Get SET project. Together, we can make a difference in the fight against PAD. 

Sources:

Source

SaveLimbs, Change Lives

Sanjay Divakaran , Siling Li, Yang Song, Anna K Krawisz, Brett J Carroll and Eric A Secemsky (2024) Underutilization of supervised exercise therapy for symptomatic peripheral artery disease among Medicare beneficiaries. Vascular Medicine 1-2, Sage Publications.