I've been involved with the American Heart Association since 2000 in some way or another. So when I was asked to serve on the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) for the Heart Challenge in 2022, I just couldn't say no. The reason I accepted the challenge without hesitation was because of my families close connection with the AHA over the past 20 plus years. Our daughter Emily will be 29 years old in June. Emily is not only a Registered Nurse today, she is also a heart survivor and a true warrior. Imagine your new born baby needing an open heart procedure, than another, and another after that. There is only a few words in the english language that even comes close to explaining how you would feel, "helpless and Terrified".
Emily was born with Truncus Arteriosus. TA is a birth defect of the heart. It occurs when the blood vessel coming out of the heart in a developing baby fails to seperate completley, leaving a connection between the aorta abd pulminary artery. I don't think our daughter would be alive today if not for the efforts and sacrifices from her physicians, nurses, scientists and the millions of people like you across the globe who also believe in the work that the American Heart Association performs each year.
It truly takes a village to help each patient. Please consider joining my team because the lives we are touching from the work we put in today is extremely important. My daughters and many others like her depend on it.
