My son, Jaden, was born with a rare congenital heart defect called Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return (PAPVR). Thanks to medical research and imaging technology, doctors were able to diagnose him in just a short amount of time after his birth. "Heart surgery should be expected around his teenage years", his doctors told us.
At age 4, Jaden showed signs of cardiomyopathy and needed the heart surgery sooner than expected. While I was trying to hold it together for him, Jaden went into surgery with a smile, chatting away with his nurses and waking up just the same way. I was so proud of him!
Fast forward to today, Jaden is an active, bike ridin', baseball playin' teenager, that holds a clean bill of health!
Jaden and I will be walking together in the AHA Heart Walk alongside my fellow Dignity Health Humankindness Club Ambassadors to honor survivors like him and to support those affected by heart disease or stroke. We would love for you to come walk with us! If you would like to make a contribution to the American Heart Association to fund lifesaving science and research, you can do so by accessing the donation link in this page.
