CHD Awareness Week Kick-Off!! {FREE Printable}

I'm excited this week...it's going to be a fun time here on my blog, a little more laid back and casual than in years past, but nonetheless, doing the important work of spreading awareness for Congenital Heart Defects.  If you are a first-time visitor to our blog, welcome!  You have probably arrived here via someone you know or love who is affected by Congenital Heart Defects or maybe you have no idea what that even is...either way, I am so glad you stopped by.  Your presence here is important to our cause!

First, I'll start off with the facts:

• Congenital heart defects are America’s and every country’s #1 birth defect. Nearly one of every 100 babies is born with a CHD.
• Congenital heart defects are the #1 cause of birth defect related deaths.
• Congenital heart defects are the leading cause of all infant deaths in the United States.
• Each year approximately 40,000 babies are born in the United States with a congenital heart defect. Thousands of them will not reach their first birthday and thousands more die before they reach adulthood.
• Each year over 1,000,000 babies are born worldwide with a congenital heart defect. 100,000 of them will not live to see their first birthday and thousands more die before they reach adulthood.

Pretty startling, right?  I know I was.  Our journey with CHD's started just over 3 years ago, when our son Liam was born.   Long story short, we had no idea what a "CHD" was, or how common it was, nothing.  Just a scary diagnosis and a lot of prayer.

Unfortunately, our kind of diagnosis happens...a lot.  One time is one too many.  CHD awareness is critical in order to provide resources, gain research and offer support for the thousands of families who must walk this journey each day.  YOU are an important part of this equation.  Just by reading these facts and understanding a little bit more about Congenital Heart Defects, you are helping awareness succeed.

So why, you ask, if this is so common, do we really need an awareness campaign?  Great question, and here is the WHY:

• Congenital heart defects are common and deadly, yet CHD research is grossly under-funded relative to the prevalence of the disease.
• Only one penny of every dollar donated to the American Heart Association goes towards congenital heart defect research.
• Of every dollar the government spends on medical funding only a fraction of a penny is directed toward congenital heart defect research.

We all know a critical component of any disease or defect is RESEARCH:

• In the last decade death rates for congenital heart defects have declined by almost 30% due to advances made through research.

Throughout this week, I'll be sharing stories of our life with a child who has a complex CHD and introducing you to resources that have played a vital role in our journey.  And that's not all!  For only $9.99, you can receive...haha,  Just kidding there!  But I do really have some more for you, a little something to help spread that awareness thing I was  talking about and to get people here to read more about CHD's.  I have designed 7 different "heart" scripture printables that will be available to download FREE off my blog this week.  One each day of Awareness week.  The only thing I ask in return is that you share this with someone, and not just the free printable {you have to make them pinky-swear they will read the blog post first!}, but the information, stories, resources either off this blog or the numerous other CHD blogs and sites that will be hosting similar events {see my sidebar to the right for other great Heart Mom blogs!}.  THANK YOU for helping to spread awareness of our country's #1 birth defect! 

{Printable can be found in my Etsy shop - Free download period has expired}