Having a Heart (and a cuppa)…
As many of you know, our Dash is a heartkid.
This means he was born with heart defects – just like another six babies born today in Australia. And as you may already have learned, he needed two heart surgeries (and many months of tube-feeding) to help him survive.
Please, take a cuppa with you before you dive into the saga.
Trust me on this!
…
There are hundreds and thousands of kids just like Dash – who suffer from heart conditions and need serious surgery and treatment. The stastics are pretty frightening – with heart issues killing more kids under five than any other condition. But Dash is not just a statistic – not just the “one in a hundred” babies whose parents will be devestated by the news that their infant is not ‘perfect’.
…
And in honour of this energetic miracle,
I can vouch for the group – they helped keep me sane in the darker hours of our heart journey, and I have done fundraising with them on numerous occasions.
One of these efforts was a HeartKids calendar I began six years ago.
…
He is now a seven-year-old dynamo:
handsome as hell,
a rough-and-tumble kid who adores his little sister
(although the odd pulversising does take place),
who desperately wants to ride a horse as well Daddy,
is as sweet and thoughtful a son as any mother could dream of.
He is very real and very present –
a fact which was NOT always a foregone conclusion,
and one for which I give thanks on a daily basis.
And in honour of this energetic miracle,
I will be holding a Cuppa For Kids at Granite Glen soon.
Friends will share smoko with me and put a gold coin towards HeartKids.
I can vouch for the group – they helped keep me sane in the darker hours of our heart journey, and I have done fundraising with them on numerous occasions.One of these efforts was a HeartKids calendar I began six years ago.
This was the pic of Dash we used in that first edition…
And this is Dash with his amazing paediatric cardiologist, Dr J…
…and the incredible Alan Langer (rugby league legend) as we handed over the cheque from that first calendar. The calendar was started to try and get some action into researching WHY kids get heart defects. And despite raising many thousands of dollars for research, we still don’t really know.
…
I have put a link in the sidebar to share the message about our heartkids and how you can help. Cuppa for Kids runs throughout July and August – please click the link to explore the activity or check out the Heartkids Queensland site – there are stories there that will stop you in your tracks. Maybe, if you are so inclined, you could have your own Cuppa for Kids?
And if you live overseas, consider helping out your local heartkids support group.
They are worth your effort, however big or small.
I shall climb down off my soapbox now.
And put the kettle on!
…
(PS More city adventures coming up soon…)
6 Comments
traceelements
I so wish I could drop in for the cuppa for kids when you have it. In lieu of that I'll be sure to get onto the site and make a donation.
Woman in a Window
I had no idea. That photo of him as infant is stunning and so distressing. What an amazing boy to be so tumbly now. Love a happy ending.
Mom L
Here's to Dash – my new hero!!!
Nancy in Atlanta
Jayne
It's been a long journey Dash has been on in his life but looking good now 🙂
Silver
he can just power zap me with just one smile! would love to follow your amazing journey !!
~Silver
Reflections
Reddunappy
That is so awesome that Dash is doing sooo well! and he is handsome!!! I didnt know he was so sick as a baby! I have only been blogging since Nove 08. You have beautiful kids.