GREENSBORO, N.C. — It's time for "my 2 cents" and a heart to heart about a cause near and dear to my heart.
It's the final week of National Heart Month, a campaign for all of us to make heart-healthy choices. But, for one in 100 children, there is no choice -- only circumstance.
CDC data shows one percent of babies is born with a congenital heart defect (CHD) -- the most common type of birth defect. A quarter of those cases is critical, and there is no common cause or cure.
I have seen, firsthand, the difficulty heart families experience when walking these journeys. Two sets of my friends have children with severe CHDs. Tragically, beautiful baby Caleb passed away at eight days old from heart complications. His parents bravely shared their pain publicly with you last year, vowing to tell their angel's story because knowledge is key to improving outcomes.
That message is why I deeply was honored to serve as the mistress of ceremonies again for this year's Hands for Hearts fundraiser. Hands for Hearts is the Triad's leading non-profit supporting CHD families, and this year's casino night raised a record $365,000 to establish a sixth pediatric cardiology fellowship at Duke Children's Specialty Services of Greensboro. Duke is where some of the brightest physicians in this field are doing groundbreaking work to save lives here in our community.
Chances are, there is someone you know who has a CHD. I humbly ask all of us to do something to help. Whether it is volunteering for a heart organization, cooking supper for a family whose child is in the hospital or simply saying an extra prayer, your support matters.
Thank you for opening your heart to heal children's hearts.
