Congenital Heart Defects Fundraiser
From now through February 13th we will be collecting items to put together care packages for those dealing with children with Congenital Heart Defects. Our goal is to put together 25 care packages.
To do this we will need to collect:
25 trial-sized shampoos
25 trial-sized conditioners
25 trial-sized toothpaste
25 toothbrushes
25 trial-sized deodorants
25 trial-sized floss
25 trial-sized laundry detergent
Snacks (25 of each type – things that are individually packaged, and if needed, can be cooked in a microwave)
25 bags to put this stuff in
We have it listed on the whiteboard. Please check what we have already gotten and then add what you have donated.
If anyone wants to contribute larger things, then adult-sized flip flops or t-shirts, then they can do that, but I think we should try to make as many complete kits as possible.
We will hit a “Hero” WOD on February 13th and put the packages together.
From Kari:
As for my experience with CHDs… Everyone knows that February 14th is Valentine’s Day. But, did you know that it is also Congenital Heart Defects Awareness Day? I didn’t. Not until after my first child was born in 2004. I was 25 at the time, and thought that having a child was simple and that children were born healthy all the time. My son was diagnosed during my pregnancy with two major birth defects, one of his esophagus, and one of his heart. His heart defect is called Tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia, and it’s a combination of four different defects: his pulmonary artery was closed completely and didn’t go all the way into his heart (which meant he had no way for blood to get to his lungs), he had a ventricular septal defect (a hole between his ventricles), his right ventricle is enlarged due to the extra work that is required for his heart to work, and his aorta is sort of bent to compensate for the hole that was there.
Alex spent three and a half months in the hospital before coming home, and has had two major heart surgeries, one of which was open heart. He was only 7 months old, and 12lbs. Today, Alex is five, and a relatively healthy and active kindergartener. He’s had more medical intervention in his five years (including 24 OR procedures) than most adults have had in their entire lives, and he’s still a pretty happy kid. Because of his heart, he’ll likely never be a CrossFitter, but he’s a fighter just the same.
My husband and I spent the better part of five months either staying in or commuting 90 minutes to and from a regional hospital in PA during our son’s major struggles, not to mention the following two years of doctor’s appointments and minor surgeries in PA and in NY. In honor of CHD Awareness Day on February 14th, I’d like to propose that we gather and donate care kits for the families of kids who are suffering similar issues. Things like shampoo and a toothbrush are very much appreciated when your child is facing an unexpected or lengthy hospital stay. This is a list of items that are always needed for families of long-term patients at the Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center.
Please email Kari at kari@thenortonzoo.com to commit to donating an item. We would like to collect all of the items by February 13th.
We will also keep a tally on one of the whiteboards to see where we are at.People can get more facts on CHDs at http://www.itsmyheart.org/chd-
Such as:
- Congenital Heart Defects are the #1 birth defect. Source: March of Dimes
- Congenital Heart Defects are the #1 cause of birth defect related deaths. Source: March of Dimes
- About 1 out of every 100 babies are born each year with some type of Congenital Heart Defect. (approx. 40,000/year) Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
- Nearly twice as many children die from Congenital Heart Defects in the United States each year as from all forms of childhood cancers combined, yet funding for pediatric cancer research is five times higher than funding for CHD. Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
