About Us

Hannah's Story

Hannah was our little warrior. Born with a congenital heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, she faced challenges from the moment she took her first breath. She underwent her Norwood procedure but not without complications and there began her first ever ECMO Run. Hannah recovered and we brought her home to enjoy.

Keeping her healthy enough to undergo her hemi-fontan procedure (the second procedure within the series) proved to also be a challenge. We brought her in for a pre-hemi catheter procedure and she underwent another 10 days on ECMO.

A few months later Hannah had her Hemi-Fontan procedure and we had the most blissful three months at home before our life was forever changed again. Hannah got sick and had three cardiac arrests. These arrests impacted her function.

Unfortunately, her function never recovered and we were transferred to another facility for a transplant work up. Hannah had two additional cardiac arrests and remained on ECMO until her donor heart arrived. On ECMO, she faced many challenges, but we got to also see her thrive. During her 172 day wait, she learned 30+ plus words and signs, learned to walk, went on many wagon rides and also played with her big sister.

On Day 172, we received the news that they found a donor heart that was a match. She underwent her transplant procedure without complications and was finally off ECMO. Just a few short days later, the new heart began to struggle. Hannah was placed back on ECMO and the longest three weeks of our lives began. Each and every time a doctor stepped into Hannah's room, they gave us life altering news. Unfortunately, Hannah passed at 22 months and 1 day old only 21 days after her heart transplant.

Hannah's time with us was brief, but her courage and spirit continue to inspire. Through Hannah’s Hope for Hearts, we honor her memory by offering the support and resources we wished we had during her journey.

Her story is not just about struggle, but about the strength of families, the kindness of strangers, and the unwavering hope that one day, things will get better. Today, we continue her legacy by helping families who are experiencing similar battles—so they don’t have to face it alone.

Mission

Hope for Hearts is dedicated to raising awareness, providing support, and assisting in funding research for children and families affected by congenital heart defects and transplants. Through compassion and advocacy, we strive to ensure that every heart has a chance to thrive, and no one faces cardiac challenges alone. We honor the resilience of those with heart conditions and their families. We are dedicated to educating families about early diagnosis, providing support for the whole family, and fostering lasting hope for healthier hearts.

Vision

We envision a world where every family impacted by heart disease and transplants feels supported, connected, and empowered to navigate their journey with hope.

Impact, Advocacy & Action

Braxton

"Hope for Hearts has truly impacted our family. There are not many financial resources for families dealing with CHD. With this support, we can worry a little less about making ends meet and focus more on our precious little guy. We are forever grateful for all Hope for Hearts does!"

– Braxton’s Family

Annabelle

"Thank you. Thank you for helping families like ours navigate unspeakable pain, trauma, and hardship. Your support means more than words can express, and you will never know how much it has meant to us. These kids are true warriors, and they deserve the world." — Annabelle’s Family

Aliyah

“You are there during the hardest times in people’s lives, and you truly help make those moments just a little easier.” – Aliyah's Family

Konner

"What a blessing for financial assistance while spending many, many months in the hospital while my son waits for a heart transplant. Thank you! Your support means so much! -Konner's Family

Gwendolyn

"Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, your contribution means the absolute world to our family and Gwen." -Gwen's Family

Asher

"Thank you doesn’t seem to be enough to say to the donors. Your donation has helped our family breathe a little easier in this time where everything is just going up in cost. "-Asher's Family

Raelyn

"Thank you for providing financial assistance to my family so we can spend Easter together with our whole family. Without your help, we may not be able to afford to have her siblings here which would make our Holiday even harder than it is being in the hospital. Thank you so much." -Raelyn's Family

Ellie

"This will help ease the burden of lost wages and allow us to be together a little more often. In this incredibly hard world of transplant life, it’s easy to feel forgotten. But this reminded us there is still kindness in the world and people who care. We’re honored and thankful that our family was chosen." – Ellie’s Family

Anonymous

"Foundations like this make it possible for us to have a little bit of peace, and not worry about bills that seem to pile up extra during this time. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart! You will never know what this means to me!"-Anonymous Family

Anonymous

“Thank you so much. It’s so appreciated. It’s been rough, as I haven’t left his side since he was born.” -Anonymous Family

Shevi

“With the Hope for Hearts donation, it helps us keep up on our bills at home while we are 4 hours away with our daughter. You have no idea what this means to us. Every little thing really helps during a time like this.” – Shevi’s Family

Marcella

“Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts. Your generosity allows families like ours to feel seen, supported, and a little less alone during the hardest moments of our lives. Your kindness is making a real difference and we’ll never forget it.”- Marcella's Family

Anonymous

“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your generous gift gave our family strength and hope during a difficult time. Because of you, we could focus on healing.” - Anonymous Family

Cooper

“Thank you for everything.Your donation has helped make it possible for us to be with Cooper in Rochester and New York City. This time is very difficult for our family, and your kindness has made a real difference.”- Cooper's Family

Carson

“This donation will help reduce some of the financial stress we’re under, as we both want to be here for our son. Being a heart warrior family can be very, very stressful at times. Your donations help relieve a little of that stress and allow families to spend more time with their child. Thank you!”- Carson's Family

Hannah's Favorites Drive

We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of our community! Thanks to your support, Hannah’s Favorites Drive is making a heartfelt impact on pediatric cardiac patients and we’re just getting started.

We had the privilege of delivering your donations to Sanford Health and Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Because of you, we were able to share 288 books, 73 Tonie Characters, 6 Tonie Boxes, 3 Tonie cases and 63 lovies!

These items are already bringing comfort and joy to children in the cardiac units. Your kindness is truly making a difference!

Hannah’s Legacy Through Stories and Music

We’re honored to share a recent milestone in our mission to bring comfort and joy to children facing extended hospital stays. Through a generous grant from Tonies, we were able to donate 2 Tonieboxes, 14 Tonies characters, and 4 headphones to the Avera pediatric unit. This provides young patients with engaging stories, soothing songs, and a sense of peace during incredibly challenging moments.

Thanks to the kindness of an amazing private donor, we were also able to expand this donation with 2 additional Tonieboxes, further enhancing the impact at Avera and reaching even more children in need of comfort.

The same grant also made it possible to donate 8 headphones to Sanford Children’s Hospital. With these additions, even more children at Sanford can now enjoy the full Tonies experience, turning hospital rooms into spaces filled with imagination and calm.

Tonies held a special place in our hearts during Hannah’s time in the ICU. They brought her peace, learning, and a gentle escape through sound. We are grateful to now share that same gift with other families navigating the journey of congenital heart defects and transplants.

Thank you to Tonies, our incredible donor, and all who support this mission. Together, we’re continuing Hannah’s legacy; one story, one song, and one smile at a time.

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