CHD Awareness Ribbon

National Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) Awareness Week is February 7th-14th.  

As most of you know, this is a cause that is near and dear to my heart.

My daughter was born with two very serious CHD's called Tetralogy of the Fallot with Pulmonary Atresia.  She required heart surgery at birth in order to live.  At 7 months old they did a full repair, closing the hole in her heart and placing a pulmonary artery (or conduit) from another child in her heart.  She will require more heart surgeries throughout life to replace the artery as she grows out of them.  We have been so fortunate with many years of good health between surgeries.  There is so much hope for these children in the future.  50 years ago a child like Aubrey would have most likely died early on.  With continued research and medical advances, children like my daughter can live long, normal lives.  Although, not quite ready for prime time yet, micro robotic surgery is on the horizon for helping avoid opening the sternum for open heart repair.  Stem cell research has opened the doors toward a possible cure.  Organ donation continues to save lives like my daughters.  There is so much hope for children and adults living with CHD.  Raising awareness and educating people on what it means to live with CHD will enable us all to work together towards finding a cure.

I will be wearing my red and blue with pride this week!!

I felt inspired to make a ribbon of my own to decorate and show my pride and support for CHD to the world.  I plan to hang this on my door every year.  I have a secret motivation behind making this … which will be revealed shortly in another post.

Here is my giant CHD Awareness Ribbon:

I made this using bendable wire I found in the floral decor section at Michaels.  I formed the shape first, tied it together in the center with a small piece of wire to anchor it.  I cut 1 1/2"W x 5"L stripes of fabric and tied them in a single knot onto the wire.  I used corduroy red and blue fabric.

I love that it looks like several red and blue ribbons that make up one giant red and blue ribbon.

I can't wait to hang this on my door to show my support for CHD.

But first I must use it for one more thing ….

You'll just have to wait and see.