I was born with half a heart and had my first heart surgery at 5 days old. By the time I was 14, I had 6 more heart surgeries and was in heart failure. I received a heart transplant when I was 14 and `1/2 years old. My whole life has been about my heart, but even my closest friends didn't fully understand what I've been through. No one really understood. Until I found Camp del Corazon.

I have been going to Camp Del Corazon since I was 7 years old. Camp del Corazon is the first place I have found where everyone is like me - campers and adults who have scars, and tell stories of surgeries, hospitalizations and limitations. It is my favorite place to go, and now I'm raising funds to make sure it's around for all kids living with congenital heart disease!

Begun in 1995 by a pediatric cardiologist and a cardiovascular nurse, Camp del Corazon provides a free-of-charge residential summer camp on Catalina Island off the coast of California to 300+ kids (ages 7-17) living with congenital heart disease. Over the past 30 years, Camp del Corazon has grown to include year round programming, including virtual camp, an educational symposium for heart families, and a young adult program (ages 18-25) to support former campers as they transition to adulthood and take ownership of their health. BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! Camp is more than all these awesome programs, camp is a FEELING! Camp has become a community and a FAMILY to so many kids and families who thought they were alone. 

And now, Camp has become MY family! Camp means so much to me. I want to make sure that Camp continues to provide a community and family for future generations of heart kids and families.

Will you help me? You can join my team, make a donation, share the link to this page on social media, or come volunteer at FamFest on October 24th and be part of the camp magic! Thanks for helping to raise awareness and funds for this organization that is so close to my heart.