Mended Hearts

A year ago a friend of mine gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.  Her name was Cora.
I am wearing pink today to celebrate Cora's short life.
Cora only lived a few short days.
She had an undiagnosed heart defect and died unexpectedly in her mother's arms.
It is possible that her congenital heart defect (CHD) could have been diagnosed had she had a simple non-invasive pulse oximetry test before she went home from the hospital.
If you are pregnant, please ask for a pulse ox test for your baby.

And now, it's time to celebrate Cora.

I am going to start with kissing and hugging my kids.
Listening to them, and cherishing.

Then I am going to do something else. I am taking a few grocery bags full of groceries to the local food pantry to help out others, because that's what Cora does. She saves lives, and she helps people.

Want to celebrate Cora with me?

Save a Life-
Donate Blood
Join the Bone Marrow Donor Registry
Remind your pregnant friends to request the Pulse Ox test before leaving the hospital

Help Someone-
Donate to a charity
Volunteer in a local soup kitchen
Donate toys to a children's hospital
Donate your time
Perform Random Acts of Kindness

Happy Birthday, Cora.
It's been a year, and we're all so proud of you.

Cora's Day

Today, Cora is four months old, and in her memory, Snapdragon is pinking it up, even if he's a boy.

Why do we wear pink on the 30th of each month in memory of Cora? Because we're helping Cora save lives.

You can read Cora's Story on my friend Kristine's blog, and then, in honor of Cora, put on some pink, and do something nice for someone else. I haven't found our good deed for the day just yet, but we're working on it.

Most importantly, let your children and loved ones know how much they mean to you. Take a few extra minutes out to play a game or go for a walk with the ones you love, and if you know a new mother to be, please let her know that many congenital heart defects can be detected with a non-invasive, simple, and painless pulse oximetry test.

Help Cora save lives, and make the world a better place for those living in it.