When my daughter was born, she arrived over four weeks early and required an extended stay in the NICU. Doctors discovered she had a hole in her heart, more formally known as an Atrial Septal Defect (ASD). An ASD is a defect in the septum, the wall that separates the heart’s two upper chambers. Because of this condition, her oxygen saturation levels dropped unexpectedly, leading to a cardiac emergency when she was just two days old.

Weeks later, she was finally able to leave the hospital, but not in the way we had imagined. She went home in a car bed because her heart could not yet tolerate the pressure of sitting upright, which caused her to stop breathing. Through education, support, and careful monitoring, our family learned how to care for her as she grew stronger. Eventually, she was able to transition safely into a car seat and continue on to live a happy, healthy life as she grows.

I walk for my daughter, to honor her journey and to encourage a heart-healthy lifestyle for us all. Your donation supports groundbreaking research that quite literally keeps hearts beating and helps people live longer, healthier lives.

Have questions about ASD? Learn more through these helpful resources from the American Heart Association:
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/congenital-heart-defects/about-congenital-heart-defects/atrial-septal-defect-asd