What Can You Do?

Today is Valentine's Day. It is also the last day of Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week. I've shared with you several CHD facts, as well as the experiences of several other heart families, over the past week. I've asked for your help to Raise awareness. To spread hope. But what does that really mean? What can YOU do to help raise CHD awareness and help us find better ways of treating and possibly even preventing CHDs?

SO glad you asked! Let me tell you!

Give blood.
This is such a quick and easy thing to do! And anyone can do it! Chase needed a blood transfusion after his Norwood procedure when he was only a week old. During both of his surgeries, he had to be put on cardiopulmonary bypass (often referred to as a heart–lung machine), a technique that temporarily takes over the function of the heart and lungs during surgery, maintaining the circulation of blood and the oxygen content of the body. The machine requires donor blood to prime the machine. So by giving blood, you are doing your part to help save lives.


Donate to the Children's Heart Foundation.

Most people are unaware that Congenital Heart Defects (CHDs) are the most common birth defect in America, affecting approximately one in one hundred, or 40,000 newborns each year. CHDs are responsible for one third of all birth defect-related deaths and sadly 20 percent of children who make it through birth will not survive past their first birthday. Although a child is born every 15 minutes with a CHD, research continues to be grossly under-funded in America. Of every dollar the government spends on medical funding, only a fraction of a penny is directed toward congenital heart defect research.

As the country’s leading organization solely committed to CHD research funding, The Children’s Heart Foundation dedicates itself to bringing health, hope and happiness to children and families impacted by a CHD. CHF has funded over $4.1 million of vital, life-saving CHD research since its inception, which includes approximately $400,000 in 2010.

Click here to make a donation in Chase's honor, or in the honor or memory of the sweet CHD warrior/angel close to your heart!

Source

Become an Organ Donor.
110,371 people are waiting for an organ. 18 people will die each day waiting for an organ. 1 organ donor can save up to 8 lives. Those facts and figures alone should make your mind up for you!

Donate the gift of life.

Click here to sign up today!


Support CHD Families.
Your support is crucial to CHD families. While you cannot fully understand the path our lives have taken to care for a child with a special heart, you are our family. Our friends. Our shoulders to lean on. Our voices to lift in prayer. You provide hot meals and send cards of encouragement. You sit with us at the hospital by our child's bedside for countless hours. You offer financial support and help with caring for our heart healthy children. You are the ears we need to listen, the hands we need to hold. You are our strength as we make our way through our darkest and scariest moments. We are forever indebted to those of you who have been there for us when we needed you most, and pray that you continue to do so in the months and years ahead.

Thank you for your continued support, love and prayers.


Raise Awareness.
Today's the last day of Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week. Tweet about CHD Awareness. Change your Facebook status to promote CHD Awareness. Feel free to link to this post so your friends, family and followers can learn how to raise awareness.


Read this.
If you want to know why heart moms are so fired up about CHD awareness, read this post. Amy's words may as well be my words. She expresses the urgency of the need to fund research, prevent CHDs and develop new ways of treating existing CHDs that I believe everyone--heart family or not--can understand and identify with. Please take a moment to read her post.


Raise awareness. Spread hope.