Blog
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Clark Ostrom
Clark Ostrom was born in 2015 at just 36 weeks. His mom, Carissa Ostrom, said they had no idea he had a bicuspid Aortic Valve and Aortic Stenosi heart defect. He went through his first procedure and balloon valvuloplasty (a cath procedure where they take a balloon and rip open the valve). Carissa then connected…
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Eli Pingilley
In early November 2021, we went to our kids’ annual checkup appointments, and Eli had very elevated blood pressure. The nurses would not record it on his growth sheet. Instead, they sent in several nurses with several different blood pressure cuffs to check him. Praise God his pediatrician didn’t ignore this and let it go….
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Five Tips For Coping With Holidays After the Loss of a Loved One
Here are some helpful tips for handling grief during the holiday season. Feel Your Emotions and Be Honest About How You Feel Everyone grieves differently and the holidays can be difficult for families after the loss of a loved one. Give yourself space to feel your emotions and be honest with yourself and others about…
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Five Ways to Support Bereaved Family or Friends This Season
Here are some helpful tips for how to support those who are grieving during the holidays. Support Their Choices Everyone grieves differently and the holidays can be difficult for families and friends after a loss. They may choose to skip holiday gatherings, change traditions, travel, etc. Support them in their choices surrounding the holidays. Extend…
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Jace Avanzato
Jace Avanzato was born in October of 2021, in the middle of a pandemic. His diagnosis, Tetralogy of Fallot with Pulmonary Atresia and Double Outlet Right Ventricle, required surgery at just 10 days old. The Avanzato Family had to endure a lengthy hospital stay without visits from family and friends, but that made their return…
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Heart Strong: Volunteer Sabrina Dodd & Her Warrior Sons
Sabrina, the VP of Conquering CHD – Tennessee, has two sons, Dakota and Brody, both born with CHD. Dakota in 2002 with Pulmonary Stenosis and Brody in 2004 with Pulmonary Stenosis and Aortic Insufficiency. Both sons required emergency surgery. Thankfully, now both Dakota and Brody are looking forward to bright futures! “Finding Conquering CHD has…
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Dear Bereaved Family, From Your Bedside Nurse…
Bereaved families can often feel alone in their grief – feeling like the world keeps turning while their world has stopped. It may feel like the care team for your loved one goes right back to business as usual after a loss, but as this open letter to bereaved families from a bedside nurse illustrates,…
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Hudson Heyward
Hudson was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and spent more than 176 days inpatient. Now home with his family, Hudson’s first Christmas is sure to be extra special. Read about his battle with HLHS and how beauty can be found even in terrible circumstances. Hudson was 9 days old when he was diagnosed with…
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Our Beautiful Boy – JT’s Story
My husband, Michael, and I had been trying to have a baby for over three years (through gestational surrogacy), and after several failed attempts and a miscarriage, we finally made it to the second trimester! When Michael, Michelle (our surrogate), and I attended the 20-week anatomy scan, we were shocked to find out that our…
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Donate Life Month – Pam’s Transplant Story
Growing up, like many born in the early days of congenital heart surgery, Pam Ensley thought she was fixed. But after a mostly normal life, including marriage and children, she learned she needed the gift of the perfect match.
