You just never know

Yesterday, thanks to family, I was treated to a girl's day which included a trip to Liv Aveda for a facial. This is a once a year treat (if that!) so I was excited to relax and be pampered.

As the woman began she asked me about my pregnancy and if this was my first baby. I said no, it was not my first. "Oh, do you have a little one at home?"

Such tough questions for anyone who has lost a child. Having also lost a second child through miscarriage after Hazel, I never know how much to say and yet I can't help but acknowledge my children.

She could tell from my pause that something was wrong. I answered "I have two children in heaven" and she replied "me too." The conversation then turned to if I work and what I do. I mentioned my job at the bank and that I am also the executive director of a nonprofit organization. Little was said after that as she dimmed the lights and I closed my eyes.

When the facial was over she came back into the room and asked if I had any information I could give her. Apparently the business likes to choose a nonprofit to raise awareness for each month and they raise money by letting the employees wear jeans and the color of the cause. I handed her a business card and immediately she asked, "Does this have to do with hearts?" I replied yes and she went on, "I know a little boy who is five years old and has Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. I don't know if you know what that is but he has had four open heart surgeries, has a pacemaker, and is looking to receive a heart transplant this next year."

I looked at her stunned. "Yes, I know what HLHS is, that is what my daughter died from. Most people have never heard of a congenital heart defect and you know what HLHS is? Incredible!"

I'm hoping they do choose Lasting Imprint as their nonprofit some month in the future, but the biggest thing I took away from that meeting was that you just never know who has or who will be affected by CHD...

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Shout Out!

In the spirit of the holiday, Lasting Imprint has much to be thankful for! I wanted to take a moment to give a shout out to some awesome people and companies!

THANK YOU to Carrie Meyer our grant writer who received word that our grant application to Coughlan Companies (Capstone Press) has been approved! This grant means we will receive over 1,000 books for our CHD Family Kits! Enough to keep us supplied for one year!

THANK YOU to Ryan Roles who helped me get paperwork to TCF Bank for their community giving program. Lasting Imprint has received a $500 grant from this local foundation!

THANK YOU to Andrews Family Chiropractic in Mankato! Dr. Andrews informed me that after hearing my presentation at a Kiwanis meeting, his office has decided to make Lasting Imprint the nonprofit organization they raise money for in 2012! We look forward to working with you!

THANK YOU to everyone that submitted a paragraph for the KARE 11 contest held this month in honor of Veteran's Day! Sarah Sohre's entry was selected and Lasting Imprint will be receiving $1,100!

THANK YOU to our board members, volunteer staff, and event volunteers for making this organization so amazing! Your dedication has allowed us to accomplish great things this year. We couldn't have a better team!

THANK YOU to our heart families that participate in events, communicate your needs, and inspire us to keep fighting. It has been so wonderful getting to know you and your stories!

Lasting Imprint cannot say thank you enough for all the support and encouragement we have received this year. We wish you all a safe and blessed holiday season!

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It's Friday!!!

We have now entered November so if you haven't done so already, check out our Events Page and see our second October winner and read more about this month's contests! Submissions are already coming in!

While I know that this time of year can be very emotional for some (myself included!)I think there is one thing we can all agree on:

Thank goodness it's Friday! Enjoy your weekend everyone! (Especially those participating in our bowling event tomorrow!)

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Our first winner!

The winner of this year's pumpkin carving contest! Pretty amazing isn't it? Thanks to everyone that participated and congratulations to Carrie on winning a $15 gift card!

Our next contest begins today! Email pictures of your best Halloween costume to web@lastingimprint.org. Pictures can be of yourself, your children, even your pets!

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Teaching others

Last Wednesday I had the opportunity to go and speak to a business class at Bethany Lutheran College. The professor wanted me to talk about starting and running a nonprofit organization. At first I wasn't sure what knowledge I had to share, but as I sat down and started thinking about all that has happened in the last year and a half I realized how much I have learned! Even more than that, it really hit me how far we have come in helping CHD families and raising awareness here in Minnesota! Sometimes it can feel overwhelming when you realize how much there is still to be done, but this was a great reminder that you also have to take time to appreciate all that has been accomplished already.

It was really encouraging to see that the students cared not only about the business aspect of Lasting Imprint but the cause itself. A number of them stayed after class to ask more questions about what we do. One young woman told me she wants to become an Obstetrician - think about how many people will be impacted by the knowledge she now has about CHD! Incredible.

Speaking of business, Lasting Imprint has now filed to have our name trademarked! The continued growth and progress we are making is so much fun to watch and be a part of!

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October's Contests!

So if you missed this month's newsletter, ALL supporters of Lasting Imprint have a chance to win a $15 gift card! How? We are having online contests with themes centered around the holidays we'll all be celebrating the next four months!

CONTEST #1

Email a picture of your best carved pumpkin to web@lastingimprint.org! (We are posting pictures on our facebook page!) Include your name and a brief description of your creation! This contest runs October 1st - October 20th with the winner announced the next day!

CONTEST #2

Email a picture of your best Halloween costume to web@lastingimprint.org! (We are posting pictures on our facebook page!) Include your name and a brief description of your costume. This contest runs October 22nd to October 31st with the winner announced the next day!

We are really hoping to see a lot of participation in these contests! It will be a fun way to enjoy the holidays together!

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Fall Gatherings

The 2nd Annual CHD Awareness Walk in Alexandria is now behind us! The day of the walk was incredible! Perfect weather and countless friends and family showed up to support those affected by CHD. There is something special about seeing smaller communities pull together for a cause and I can't tell you how excited we are to see what next year will bring!

The walk may be behind us but Lasting Imprint still has activities planned for this fall! If you haven't already visit our website and sign up to receive our newsletter! You will find out more in next month's news set to come out on Saturday.

Hint: the fun involves holidays, gift cards, and ALL Lasting Imprint supporters regardless of location!

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Come and walk!

The 2nd Annual CHD Awareness Walk in Alexandria is almost here! Do you live around the area? Spend an hour of your morning on September 10th to walk around beautiful City Park! Too far away to attend? Donate to this great cause today!

As with any nonprofit organization, fundraising is an important and crucial piece for Lasting Imprint. Where exactly does our money go?

CHD Family Kits
These kits are a collaboration of various groups to provide families affected by congenital heart defects support both in the hospital and at home. They include items such as lotion, coloring books and crayons, chap stick, Angie's Kettle Corn, and soon, Lasting Imprint water bottles! At its peak up to 125 kits may be given out in just one month!

CHD Family Activities
Funds help put on not only support meetings for our families, but fun activities with little or no cost. We know and understand that such activities are often rare due to time in the hospital and/or expense. We try to plan an activity in various locations every other month or so. This is also an important time for parents and children to get together and build relationships that last for years.

Marketing Opportunities
Lasting Imprint puts up posters at various hospitals, clinics, and the Ronald McDonald Houses. Our newsletter connects families and friends located throughout the state of Minnesota (and world!). Lastly, our new window clings not only spread our name, but more importantly the statistic of CHD so hopefully one day it will be as well known as other health conditions.

Research
We make a donation to research at the end of each fiscal year by giving to the Children's Heart Foundation. This is a great group of people that put their time and energy into making sure that all monies go to the best and most promising research. This is an important piece to many of us so it only makes sense that we work together!

Early Detection
This is our next big step now that we have established the ground work of the organization. Early detection takes a more proactive approach to CHD. By talking with medical professionals we are trying to figure out how this can be done most effectively. One idea is the creation of informational handouts to be given to pregnant women before their 20 week ultrasound. Maybe we can help people start asking "Is my baby healthy?" before they ask "Are we having a boy or a girl?" I think the biggest problem is that we aren't told and so we just don't know. We hope to develop a more definite plan this fall so stay tuned!

All I can say now is come on out and walk with us! I promise, you'll learn about and meet some pretty special people if you do.

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T-Shirts

This post isn't going to be organized. Or deep. I just want to say...

Do you know how cool it is to see t-shirts from the Mankato event around town when I am out and about? I've seen people at the mall and at Walmart with blue shirts that say Lasting Imprint! That is WAY cool!

It makes me even more excited that soon we will have window clings to hand out to people that not only spread the word about Lasting Imprint, but more importantly, information about congenital heart defects. I can't wait until I'm out driving and see one of those on a car!

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Almost the end of July!

It is hard to believe it is the end of July! Where has the time gone?

I need to apologize for not writing yet this month. I knew starting this blog at the time I did would be a little difficult for me, but I'm hoping now I will have more time to write!

What has kept me so busy? You may or may not know but another title I have aside from being a "heart mom" is an "army wife". With my husband going on his first deployment, the past couple of months have been a rollercoaster of emotions. We just recently said our last goodbye which really made me reflect on what the word "freedom" means and how my idea of this has changed. Isn't this how it goes with so many things in life? Situations and circumstances come up that we never thought much about or didn't think would happen to us. I never imagined I would be the spouse of a solider or a heart mom without her child. I'm guessing that many of you, heart parent or not, can look at your life and recognize moments or things that you never thought you would experience. Yet here you are.

Maybe the trouble is that we are raised to think our lives must follow a set path and that any variation of this route means our life is less fulfilled. But I believe the opposite is true. When we are taken off the busyness of the main road, it is then that we see and experience the most real and beautiful things about life. It reminds me of the poem, "Welcome to Holland."

I guess what I've realized is that although I would have never imagined this path or asked for it, my journey through life is turning out to be an incredible experience. And I'm not only okay with it not being the same as others, I love it! Because it is my story, complete with ups and downs, and it is teaching me things about life I never would have known otherwise.

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June updates

Goodness, it has been awhile since I posted! June has been a busy month for Lasting Imprint!

A handful of volunteers put on a garage sale at the beginning of the month to raise money for the organization. Huge thanks to Dana, Nicole, Emily, Jennifer and Jolene! Their hard work brought in over $500!

On June 20th I had the opportunity to speak to our local Kiwanis club. One of my favorite things to do is share the stories behind Lasting Imprint and watch as people are impacted by them. Individuals came up to me afterwards to ask questions and even make donations! We are slowly spreading awareness and building support in our local communities!

This past weekend we had a booth at Heartbeat5000, a 5K walk/run to benefit Children's Hospital of Minneapolis. It turned out to be a perfect morning! It was fun to visit with hospital staff, meet new families, and talk with familiar faces. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to say "Hi!"

One of the most exciting pieces of news from this month is that Lasting Imprint has officially received our 501c3 status from the IRS! This paperwork is crucial in applying for grants and receiving donations from large businesses.

We are certainly off to a great start to the summer and we hope you are too! Enjoy your holiday weekend and have a Happy 4th of July!

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So much more than a discussion

This past Monday we had our monthly discussion group here in Mankato. I cannot tell you how much I look forward to these nights! What started as a group of people looking for shared experiences has turned into something so much more. As you talk about what brought you into the CHD world, you share so much more than just a simple story. You share a lot about what has made you the person that you are. It is truly an incredible journey not only getting to know heart families, but seeing how quickly you become part of each other's lives. There is nothing more comforting than to know that you aren't alone. There is nothing more encouraging than being listened to by people that understand.

I am excited to announce that a discussion group will now be held in the Twin Cities! I know many people have been looking forward to it and we are so excited the details have come together. Check in with us on Facebook or visit our website to learn more! These meetings are for ANYONE that wishes to support someone they care about. I promise you will leave encouraged and inspired. We hope to see you there!

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A Giving Spirit

I received an email from a woman the middle of May. She is retired but felt the nudge that she should do some volunteering in her community, she just wasn't sure what. Unexpectedly, a paid position fell into her lap and she knew this part time job was where she was meant to be. She hadn't planned on the extra income so she was writing to tell me she would be sending her first paycheck to Lasting Imprint. Her adult son was born with a congenital heart defect, and she believes the work that we are doing in the hospitals as well as the support to the families means everything.

I was literally blown away and didn't know what to say. What a generous heart! What a giving spirit. We've all heard that one person can make a difference in the world, but we always assume that one person will be somebody else and not us. It's almost as if we think we aren't capable or worthy enough!

Thank you Betsy! Your kindness will make a difference in the lives of many and is a reminder that any gift of the heart can change the world!

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Sharing Stories

I think most people can agree that there are lots of changes that need to happen in the medical community when it comes to congenital heart defects. Pulse ox screening, early detection, and more education for medical professionals, especially in community hospitals. But I think we also know how hard (and expensive!) it can be to bring about such changes, especially in large health care systems. Sometimes the very thought of it all can be overwhelming - can we even make a dent?

During the "Our Community Has Heart!" event, a woman came up to me and introduced herself. She had worked for years as the patient care manager of our hospital's OB floor but is now teaching nursing classes at Rasmussen College. She found out about our event and gave her students extra credit to not only attend, but to give blood as well. How awesome is that?!

She told me that she was just starting to teach her LPN students about congenital heart defects and wondered if I might come speak to them. Of course I agreed, what an opportunity!

A few days later I walked into a class of 20+ students all curious on what I was going to talk about. Now I'm no medical professional, but isn't it incredible how much we as heart parents quickly learn about the medical field? More than we ever wanted to know! I began with sharing Hazel's story, very intimate details that brought tears to my eyes. I ended with the stories of Amayah Thomas and David Tesch (I was given permission by their parents of course) and opened it up for questions.

At first there was silence as people processed all that had been said. Then the questions started. We discussed the signs of CHD to look for. I shared how nurses quickly become like family as they often know more about your child and experience than most. And I stressed how important it is to listen to a mother expressing concerns of something being wrong, even if they can't make sense of it. How many of you were dismissed after voicing an opinion when your gut was telling you something was wrong?

I left that day full of hope. Twenty more people were told about CHD in a way that a textbook could never make real. And I realized that that is how Lasting Imprint is going to make the greatest impact. There are so many things I love about this organization, but it would be nothing without the people. Without your stories. Each of us has a story that is unique and inspiring. And sharing those stories with others is what is going to bring about the awareness and change that we need.

If you know of opportunities where someone could speak to share our message, please let me know! And thank you to each of you for sharing your story with others!

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Welcome!

Welcome to the blog of Lasting Imprint!

Many of you may be familiar with or even attended our first big event “Our Community Has Heart!” held last month. It was a family event to raise money to help in the fight against congenital heart defects. I hope I can speak on behalf of those in attendance when I say that it was an incredible day. Thank you to everyone that came out!

Although part of Lasting Imprint is focused on holding great events like this to bring awareness to our local communities, we are also doing a lot of other things behind the scenes to pursue the many goals we as an organization wish to accomplish. It is my hope that this blog will allow me to share exciting news with you as we work together to leave a Lasting Imprint here in Minnesota!

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