I recently met an amazing mom at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, who shared with me her son’s journey of Congenital Heart Disease. February being heart month, I wanted to share this story, about her friends the Chez family. A true story of the heart.
Adam and Terra Chez are parents whose three children were all born with Congenital Heart Disease. Although, 1 out of every 100 babies are born with congenital heart defects, discovering that all your children suffer is an unimaginable and overwhelming experience. The Chez family discovered that their twins, Gracie and Luke had congenital heart disease in utero.
Their twins both had open heart surgeries in their first six months of life. Gracie had a second surgery and then died unexpectedly at age 3 on January 9, 2008. Despite their shock and despair the Chez family was determined to keep their sweet daughter’s memory alive.
“God showed us simply how much we are not in control of anyone’s destiny, not even our children, nothing can change the ultimate plan God has for us. Our hearts began to feel the need to help others; it was then that we decided to pour our hearts into a foundation and give back. In April of 2008, Hopeful Hearts was established.”
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Hopeful Hearts goal has been to help build both awareness and support for all families that have been affected by congenital heart disease. The Chez are committed to helping fund research for heart valve replacement and for the care involved from the corrective surgery through the healing and recovery process.
The following year, in August 2009, Adam and Terra were blessed with another child, Abigail, who also suffered from the disease.
Now with renewed determination to help families like their own, Adam and Terra have committed to promoting the health of children with congenital heart defects and cardiac disease, while honoring their children Luke and Abbey who live with Tetralogy of Fallot and the memory of their daughter Gracie. ” Our hearts are filled with the loving memory of our daughter and hope for the future of Luke, Abbey and all children who confront congenital heart disease with courageous hearts.”
“Our life was forever changed after finding out about our children’s heart conditions. Our hope was to possibly find a way to bring families together and support those who were going through the same devastating experience we ourselves had been through. We wanted to be able to give back for all that we felt was given to us, through God’s Grace.”
A true story of love and making a difference for others from the heart.
Charity Matters.
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