7 WAYS YOU CAN HELP!

7 WAYS YOU CAN HELP!

1. Donate Blood - Most children with CHD require at least one blood transfusion. It is important that they have blood! Micah required tons of blood from donors. An infant does not have enough blood in their body at birth to be able to be put on the heart-lung machine for open heart surgery, so without donors, there would be no surgery, and Micah would not be here today. He also required a number of blood and platelet donations after his surgeries. You can donate blood all day today at Medical City for our support group!! You can also contact the American Red Cross or Carter Blood Care to set up appointments for a more convenient time. But please, please, please, if you are able, donate blood.

2. Donate Money - I know with the economy the way it is right now that this is hard. Trust me - we struggle just like everyone else. We are becoming a nonprofit very soon....you can donate straight to Micah's group!! www.heartnhands.org

Another great organization is the Chloe Duyck Memorial Fund...I am friends with Michelle Duyck, Chloe's mom, who started the fund after they lost Sweet Chloe to Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome in 2004. Her website is http://www.chloeduyckmemorial.com/

There are a few other nonprofit congenital heart funds that are set up around the country that give their funds directly to congenital heart research, so if you need some more links to look at, feel free to ask me :)

3. Support a group in your local area. See if there is a support group around, see if you can help them out. We need more than just money. We need volunteers!

4. Become an organ donor - and make sure that your loved ones know that you want to donate your organs.

5. Find a cause....and work for them. Sell some lemonade this summer. Donate to an organization or to a family that needs some extra help.

6. Educate! Share your knowledge. There are so many heart families out there. People that I never knew had heart kids. You never know when you might be talking to someone like that.

7. Support. Support families that are walking down this road. It is a tough path. Be there for them. Offer a shoulder to cry on...a meal....babysitting...whatever you can do to provide a little support for a special family.

Happy Heart Day!! This day is so much more to our family than chocolates and flowers now, it is about raising the awareness to everyone that February 14th is a day to celebrate the actual heart and finding a way to help these babies born with broken hearts.

Lots of Love!
Samantha