CHD Awareness Week!
Feb. 7-Feb. 14 is Congenital Heart Defect awareness week. Before Jackson was born I had no idea about heart defects, and even if I would have known anything about them, I would never have thought it would happen to my child. It can, and it did! Now almost 6 years later we are so grateful for how well Jax is doing, but there are many other babies that we know who still need your prayers.Did you know???
** CHD's are the number one birth defect and the number one cause of infant death related to defects-- 1 in 100 babies born will have a CHD
** 1 in 10 of those babies will have a fatal defect
**In the U.S., nearly twice as many children die due to CHDs than that of all forms of childhood cancers combined. Yet there is 5 times more research for pediatric cancer than for CHDs
**Causes for CHDs are still being studied. While there is no known definitive cause, it is said that both genetics and environmental factors can play a role.
**About 40,000 units of blood are used every day yet only about 5% of the adults, the only ones who are eligible to donate blood, do so. Someone needs blood every three seconds in the United States; that someone is often one of our heart children.
**Only about 30% of the children who need a heart transplant receive one in time.
What can you do??
RAISE AWARENESS -- DONATE BLOOD -- REGISTER TO BECOME AN ORGAN DONOR!
I also wanted to mention that baby Gracie is in need of prayers again. She was supposed to have the 2nd of her 3 surgeries today, but her family found out that her heart is not healthy enough to have the surgery. They are now looking to a heart transplant to save her life. Gracie has a special place in our hearts (especially Jackson's) b/c she was born just 6 days after our Lila. It is so hard for us to see her struggle and we wish so much that she can get a new heart and get to experience life as a healthy little girl.p.s. I took the top part of this about CHD's off another heart baby's blog. She wrote it well, and I am too sick to write my own stuff today. So thanks and I hope you don't mind me spreading the word!
4 comments:
It's so great that Jackson is doing so well. What a miracle. I hope you get feeling better soon!
I decided to go private because of something that happened to my sister. If you who want an invitation please give me your email address. Sorry for the inconvenience but I'll feel much better.
if i was smart i would want to switch my career and go into CHD studies. it is all so crazy. and it makes me feel better about myself that i donate blood. although i haven't in a while. there was a blood drive at school the other day but i felt so sick i didnt want to risk it! anyways, i am so glad that jackson made it through. i love him. and keep us updated about baby gracie.
congrats to Jax and his good health.
Just a little FYI, I donate blood often and my dad was an organ donor.
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