The HeartBeat 5000 raises money for the cardiovascular programs at Children's Hospitals and Clinics in Minnesota. The money helps children who are born with congenital heart defects. Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defect. 

I was born with a congenital heart defect called Ebstein's Anomaly. Ebstein's Anomaly is a defect where the tricuspid valve is malformed and positioned too low, which allows blood to leak backward from the ventricle to the atrium. I had my first surgery at the age of 7 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. My tricuspid valve was repaired at that time. I had my second surgery at 25 years old at Children's Hospitals and Clinics in Minneapolis. During that surgery my valve was replaced and I also received a pacemaker since I was having problems with atrial fibrillation. It has now been 10 years since my second surgery and I am doing very well. I will be having my pacemaker replaced for the first time this year since the battery is getting low.

I hope you will join my team to support raising money for the cardiovascular programs at Children's Hospitals and Clinics.