Perhaps you're wondering my why...why am I raising money and awareness for The Children's Heart foundation?  Amelia is my reason...the best reason!

The Christmas of 2015 little sister told me she was going to be a mom and I couldn't stop smiling.  A few months later Heather and Derek learned that their first pregnancy would also bring a few other firsts, including having a child with a congenital heart defect.  Amelia has Tricuspid Atresia...which essentially means the right side of her heart didn't fully form/develop.  Before she was born Heather and Derek knew she would face at minimum a series of three surgeries.

In August of 2016, I became an aunt for the first time and I instantly fell in love with a sweet little girl with a full head of hair wanting to take away the scary moments she would face ahead and wanting to do anything just to be able to hold more than just her hand around the wires.  Through drives back and forth to Hershey during Amelia's NICU stay, her subsequent surgeries, and the in between visits when a "common cold" was more than just a common cold for our favorite heart warrior I saw my own families journey and the impact CHDs can have.  But I also think of the families we met in the PICU, as we listened to stories of other little babies who were facing surgeries, transplants, and parents who were facing the unimaginable of coming to the end of medical interventions possible to save their child.  

I'd like to say I've been a strong advocate for CHD for most of my life, but in all honesty before Amelia was born I didn't know much about CHDs.  After watching my sister and Derek fight for Amelia and what she needs, and watching Amelia fight for her life after an open-heart surgery resulted in her coding for over an hour I can't imagine not doing my part to help fight the fight for other Heart Warriors and Heart Angels.  I walk and push to raise awareness so that one day no parent has to hear the words "There's something wrong with your baby's heart."