I want to express my heartfelt thanks for taking a moment to visit Team Bodie's fundraising page.
Like many families, we learned of our son’s diagnosis at our 20-week anatomy scan—it felt like the walls were caving in. At that point, the exact defect and severity were still unclear. A month later, we met with the team at Dell Children’s and learned that our son, Bodie, had Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with pulmonary atresia, a VSD, and six MAPCAs. He was also diagnosed with intrauterine growth restriction, but thankfully he was able to arrive safely at 37 weeks.
After birth, Bodie had a short stay at Dell Children’s and was able to come home, with only a few minor admissions before his full repair at nine months old. The day of his surgery was one of the hardest of our lives—from the gut-wrenching moment of placing him in the arms of the Chief of Anesthesia to the unimaginable 22 hours before we saw his sweet face again.
Bodie returned from surgery having fought an incredibly difficult battle. His chest was left open, he experienced severe pulmonary hemorrhaging, and he narrowly avoided being placed on ECMO. Throughout it all, Dr. Charles Fraser Jr., Dr. Erin Gottlieb, and their entire team were by his side, keeping us informed every step of the way and providing extraordinary care.
After a month in the CICU, we were finally able to return home and begin finding our new normal under close monitoring. One week after joyfully celebrating a first birthday we had both hoped for and feared might not come, a CTA revealed a large pseudoaneurysm attached to the conduit placed during his repair. Bodie was immediately admitted and soon underwent a second open-heart surgery, lasting nearly eight hours.
Today, Bodie is home and thriving. He has graduated from the Cardiac Feeding Program, started crawling, and reached the 7th percentile in growth—a milestone that may seem small to some, but feels monumental to our family.
We are beyond grateful to the doctors, nurses, and researchers whose work saves and transforms lives like Bodie’s. We're very proud to take part in our second walk and hope you'll join us in August!
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This year, I'm walking with extra purpose as The Children's Heart Foundation celebrates 30 incredible years of funding research that saves lives and changes futures. My commitment to making a difference has led me to participate in the Congenital Heart Walk, an event that carries immense significance for me—especially knowing that for three decades, CHF has been the leading force behind the treatments and surgical advances that help children with congenital heart defects thrive.
It's not just a walk; it's a stride toward the next 30 years of hope. This endeavor is all about supporting The Children's Heart Foundation's crucial mission—advancing the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of congenital heart defects through groundbreaking research that improves survival rates, reduces complications, and helps Heart Warriors celebrate more birthdays than ever before.
We warmly invite you to become a part of this milestone journey by supporting my fundraising efforts. Together, we can raise the funds essential to continue the life-saving research that turns heartbreak into hope. Your contribution holds immeasurable value to me and to every family who needs CHF's support.
Thank you for your generosity, and for standing beside us in this mission. Your support means the world.
Will you join us in making a real difference? Please consider supporting our team or walking with us. Every step we take together celebrates how far we've come and funds the miracles still ahead.
