Hope and Heartbreak

I continue to be thrilled and astonished by the growth of The Faces of CHD.

Click here to learn more about The Faces of CHD.

I try to read every pin that goes onto the board.  It has made for a very emotional few days for me.  The notes from parents and adult survivors that accompany each pin submission are not only enjoyable to read, but often very humbling.  It is a privilege to meet so many who have fought so courageously.

Some of the letters that I read are truly heartbreaking, as I learn of a family’s recent loss.  Losing a child of my own doesn’t make it any easier to hear about the death of another child–knowing the pain of that loss makes it all the more poignant to realize what their family might feeling.  Early on, one mother submitted the story of her child’s brief life with this note, “Is it all right for [my child] to have a pin, even though he’s not a survivor?”

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The Faces of CHD Pinterest Awareness Challenge FAQs

Update:  Are you here to find out how to participate in The Faces of CHD Pinterest Awareness Challenge?  Please click HERE to learn more, then click HERE to find out how to participate.

In the last few days, the Pinterest Awareness Challenge has really taken off!  Our board, The Faces of CHD, has reached over 700 followers and there are more than 75 brave faces representing the CHD community.  Each time one of the pins on the board is repinned, it represents another group of people who have become more aware of the special challenges, worries, and triumphs that are part of living life with a congenital heart defect.

As with anything that grows, we’ve experienced a few growing pains as the board has increased in popularity.  I’d like to respond to a few frequently asked questions. [Read more...]