Heart Heroes co-founders, Kitty Burton and Sondra Dubas were asked what they are thankful for this Thanksgiving and holiday season.  Below are their responses and are echoed by the entire Heart Heroes team.

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Kitty Burton

I was very recently asked the question what am I thankful for this holiday season. Shortly after being asked this, I woke up one morning and I did my daily scan to check on all of the Heart Heroes.  That morning, I ran across a particular situation where a family member of a fellow Heart Hero had gotten some not so great news. My heart hurt for this father who I had briefly gotten to know via a CHD page.

A short while later, I was driving my kids to school and I thought to myself how great the sound of the laughter coming from the backseat. Then my mind quickly came back to that father and his post about his young daughter.  At that moment, I was reminded how thankful and grateful I am for every single moment I get to spend with each of my children, my family, friends and the people that are in my life because of Heart Heroes.

My answer to what am I thankful for is so clear, so simple.  I am thankful for each and every one of you that have supported me on this mission to spread massive awareness about a disease that has literally touched my child’s heart; a disease that cannot be cured and one that will forever require medical surgeries and interventions on my child and so many others.  Whether you sponsored an event,  hosted a give back night, raised money, gave a monetary contribution, attended an event, shared a post about CHD or simply said a prayer about a CHD Hero – I am grateful for “you”.

This Thanksgiving, I thank you with my entire healthy heart for your love, support and most of all kindness.   Thank you for helping to support the cause that 1 in 100 kids are born with and the leading cause of infant death in the US. Thank you for having heart!

Sondra Dubas

This Thanksgiving season has a special meaning for me and my family. Six and a half years ago, the Burton and Dubas families were brought together by fate following my daughter Ashley’s open heart surgery, stroke, and journey through rehabilitation.  Last week, was a significant milestone for our family when Ashley received her new Melody Valve through heart catheterization.  Despite our fear and worry about this procedure, our Heart Heroes family surrounded us with a warm embrace of prayer and support from both near and far. I realized how blessed we are to have the amazing support and understanding of other families that have walked in our shoes and may walk in those shoes again as they traverse the journey of living with CHD. I realize how fortunate we are to have these amazing advancements in treatment of CHD for our children.  I am also grateful, after two heart surgery mission trips to Mexico in the past year, that this sophisticated medical care is accessible and available to my child where I live.  I am grateful to the doctors, nurses, surgeons, and medical professionals who have made it their life purpose to save the lives of our precious children.

This thanksgiving season, I find peace in my heart knowing that we can’t always explain why things happen the way they happen or why our children were chosen to endure the journeys of living a life with a congenital heart defect. And that while it often feels unfair and may be accompanied by great loss, there is a force bigger than any of us that is at work among us.  I believe that force has been at work inside me to be an advocate for our children with CHD and I am grateful to be given the task.  I am grateful for the love, health and happiness of my family and the love and support of my Heart Heroes family around the world. To all the Heart Hero families among us near and far, I wish you all a very blessed, happy, healthy Thanksgiving Holiday!”