Children’s Book Drive
This back to school season, I’m thinking a little extra about the kids who are in the hospital and how much I wish that instead they were packing a special lunch, picking out a first day of school outfit, getting on the school bus with siblings and friends, and curled up at home under a blanket with a pile of THEIR favorite books.
One of my favorite things to do is curl up under a blanket with my child and read a pile of books. This tradition has created calm and peaceful moments even at times when the world around us has felt noisy and uncertain. Books are a piece of home we can take with us anywhere. They are familiar and they ground us. They make us smile and offer opportunities to connect. Books are part of some of my warmest and most precious memories of motherhood.
This back to school season, I’m thinking a little extra about the kids who are in the hospital and how much I wish that instead they were packing a special lunch, picking out a first day of school outfit, getting on the school bus with siblings and friends, and curled up at home under a blanket with a pile of THEIR favorite books.
To offer some peace, calm, connection, familiarity, and a reminder of home to the kids in the hospital this back to school season, Our Hearts Grow is hosting a children’s book drive. The books will be donated to The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. We will be accepting donations until October 1.
Ship books to: Our Hearts Grow, PO Box 3811,1 Albany, NY 12203
Honoring My Anniversary with Our Hearts Grow LLC
August 10 is my anniversary — the kind of anniversary only 1% of parents have. It’s the anniversary of the day I found out I would be a heart mom, meaning my child would be born with heart disease. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect, affecting 1% or 40,000 babies in the United States each year. Despite CHD being common, heart parents — or any parent of a child with complex health needs — experience a lot of uncertainty about the path forward. We all witness incredible strength in our children and many of us become fierce advocates for equitable, accessible, and empowering healthcare. Our children depend on it.
A quick side note: I usually choose not to use the words “disease” and “defect” when I talk about heart health. Why? Because I believe the language we use to describe differences between our bodies has a profound impact on our emotional wellness. Choosing empowering language creates a more accepting world.
This year on August 10, I feel supported, grounded, and thankful. As I honor my anniversary, I am proud to also honor my journey to motherhood and my passion for health writing and community building by launching Our Hearts Grow LLC. My mission is to write empowering fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and child health resources and cultivate opportunities to give back to families in need. It warms my heart to do this work.
Let’s talk about what we can write for you.
Reference
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, January 24). Data and statistics on congenital heart defects. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/heartdefects/data.html