Festival of Tree Success

Thanks goes to all those IHH Members (especially Mike for overseeing this project) and Volunteers that did such an awesome job putting the IHH tree together for the Festival of Tree's that benefits Primary Children's Medical Center (PCMC) located in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The tree sold to an anonymous donor and was sent over to PCMC to help decorate the Hospital for Christmas. What better place to end up. . .hopefully many children will get excited looking at it.

Great job guys!

Festival of Tree Decorations Needed

Festival of Tree Time . . .preparing the IHH Tree.

The theme for the donated IHH Tree is "If only I had a Heart" decorated in the theme from A Wizard of Oz.

If you have any of the Madam Alexander Wizard of Oz dolls that were in included in the 2007 Happy Meals from McDonalds, and you would be willing to part with them, please contact me. We will be using these 4.5" dolls to wire to the tree as part of the decorations. The more we get, the better the tree will look. Also, if you have ANY type of Wizard of Oz themed items that you would be willing to donate for this tree, we would gladly accept it too. We are hoping to get all donations by Thanksgiving. . . so that doesn't leave much time. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Examples below of the Madam Alexander Wizard of Oz Dolls that were in the 2007 Happy Meals

Paul Cardall Live in Concert

Announcing Paul Cardall Live in Concert. . . . .A CELBRATION OF LIFE . . . February 15, 2010 at Abravenal Hall at 7:30 p.m. with guests: Peter Breinholt, Charley Jenkins, Sam Payne, Mindy Gledhill, Ryan Tilby, and Steven Sharp Nelson. Tickets go on sale. . .November 2, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. MDT through ARTIX either on-line or by phone at 801-355-2787. Tickets range from $16-$20 plus the ARTIX service fee.

Intermountain Healing Hearts is a Sponsor of this amazing concert, since Paul is one of our Adult members. . . how better way than to support him? Intermountain Healing Hearts will be helping with the Silent Auction, since that portion will be used exclusively for Scholarships extended to families dealing with Heart Disease. If you are interested in being on the Silent Auction Committee, please contact me as it will require a lot of hands helping.

IHH's 2nd Birthday Party Celebration and Donate Life Utah 9 K Event

Last night Intermountain Healing Hearts held their 2nd Birthday Party at the Red Barn located in Santaquin, Utah. Though it was overcast and at times a bit windy, the weather held out and didn't rain. I was very surprised by the wonderful attendance considering the distance many had to travel. It was fun to see the wagons load with members and their families as they enjoyed a ride out to the Pumpkin Patch. It was fun to see what different shapes of Pumpkins were brought back too. As each Wagon returned, the members gathered in the Garden Room and while they enjoyed Doughnuts and Apple Juice it provided the perfect setting to get more acquainted with each other. It was great fun to meet some of the members that I hadn't yet meet, as well as connecting with others I knew.

Once we got everyone back from the Pumpkin Patch after getting their GREAT PUMPKINS, the business portion of the meeting was held. Lots of information was shared. Who would have thought in two short years the organization would have grown to over 200 participating? A lot of hard work from so many have gone into making this a Stand Out Organization. I can not take credit for any of this because I believe it's has to do with the people you surround yourself with. They truly have given it their all, especially the IHH Board Members. . .Mike Patton, Christina Davis, Brynn Homer and Melissa Andrew.

There are big plans in the works in extending out to the Adult Congenital Heart Community and getting them involved in IHH. I will follow-up with that in a future post.

It was great that Ryan Tripp (Lawnmower Boy, and Executive Secretary) along with his wife Shannon, Shalese Walker who is coordinating with the Colleges and Universities, and Mallory Wahlstrom (Current Miss Kaysville and a Living Organ Donor) from The Quest for the Gift of Life Foundation took time out their busy schedules to support IHH as they came to spread the word about Organ Donation and the Donate Life Utah 9 K Race Event which will help Kaidence pay if forward in helping IHH do something wonderful for the children and families at PCMC. Once again that event will happen on October 24, 2009 at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City, Utah. Please register and support this great cause! Hope to see you there :0)

Also, the evening of Friday, October 23, 2009 there will be a Candlelight Ceremony at Library Square in Downtown Salt Lake City, Affirming a Second Chance for Life, for All Who Need It. It will begin at 8:00 p.m. It should be an amazing event.

Helping Kaidence Pay it Foward to benefit PCMC

Last week I renewed my Driver License and with that came the option to renew becoming an Organ Donor, which I did. However, this time around because I have come to love so many that have recently received much needed heart transplants that it was a no-brainer to willingly give the measly $2.00 to benefit the Organ Donation fund. Though $2.00 isn't even a raindrop in the reality of the cost for Organ Donation, it wasn't something I could not ignore.

Interesting enough last Thursday on my way home from work, I received a call from Ryan Tripp (Lawnmower Boy) who is the Executive Secretary with "The Quest for the Gift of Life Foundation" requesting my help in supporting Kaidence, one of our cute little heart transplant members of Intermoutain Healing Hearts to pay it forward.

On October 24th, The Quest for the Gift of Life Foundation is hoping to set many world records that day. One being in getting 9 Thousand new Organ Registries here in Utah. If you are not a current Organ Donor, please, please search your heart to consider this option. You might not realize that "9" is a magic number. However, 9 separate lives can be saved by one donor!
In correlation with that, Salt Lake will be having its first ever ORGAN DONATION 9k race/walk. Kaidence and all of her friends there to help as they will be walking or running in honor of all the children that are waiting, will wait and have waited for someone to give them 'The gift of life'. In our hearts that day will be the children that ran out of time while waiting for a second chance at life. This is why we are doing this. So on that day please come out and RUN WITH KAIDENCE AND INTERMOUNTAIN HEALING HEARTS!

The 9k will be October 24th at 9am at Liberty Park. Kaidence has invited children young and old to come and walk with her on this day. We will be walking, not running and would love you all to grab your strollers, tricycles, walkers whatever and come and join us.This walk is to raise awareness for the need for Organ Donation. A $5 portion of each registration fee will be given to Intermountain Healing Hearts for them to give to Primary Children's Medical Centers Transplant Program for families. Mark your calendars and we hope to see you there. Follow the link http://www.donatelifeutah.com/ register and find out more info on the race or click the picture on the upper right hand side of the blog.

Kaidence with Mallory Wahlstrom, current Miss Kaysville, living Donor
Please snag this button on put it on your blogs to help spread the word!

Happy Birthday to Scott

Happy Birthday wishes go out to my wonderful loving, supportive, patient, compasionate, funny, hard-working and attractive hubby Scott today as he celebrates his 39th Birthday. Though we are apart on the glorious day. . .I am thinking of you and am very much looking forward to getting to see you and the boys very soon.
HaPpY BiRtHdAy!
By the way, I do have a Birthday Surprise for you, but until then please know I can't ever tell you thanks enough for making my life so wonderful. You are the most precious gem in my life.

9 Long Years

It's amazing how fast time can come and go and then at other times it feels like it's standing still. I have felt both since the passing of Hope. Today, it was 9 years ago that I drank from the wisdom that was in those crystal blue eyes of hers. It was 9 years ago that I held her close and sang to her. It was 9 years ago that I got to do any of those normal mommy things with my baby. . .my favorite was showing her off, as I was so proud of the fighter she was.

I know given her complex anatomy, I can't but be grateful for the 4 and 1/2 wonderful months with her. Seriously what a blessing especially when we were told she only had a 20% chance of surviving that initial first open heart surgery the day after her birth. She beat those odds and more in getting to come home 3 weeks later. We were able to make memories with her regardless of wanting more. I can't be sad about that, but I do miss her.

With her passing we received a wonderful gift from Heaven in having Nathan 5 days to her 1st Angel Anniversary. God knew what we needed and I can't deny the blessing we received. However, she will always be a part of my life and though many would like me to believe that I need to move on and forget her . . .IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN, as she was a part of me.

Tomorrow is the Walk for Healing Hearts at the Riverview Park in Provo, Ut. I look forward to seeing so many there that share the desire to spread CHD Awareness. Part of the event includes an Angel Ceremony/Butterfly Release to remember those children/adults that have passed on that are members of IHH. I look forward to not only honoring Hope, but all those other Angels as they have a place in my heart. As part of the ceremony I have received permission from Paul Cardall to use his heartfelt music as background to the ceremony. Paul Cardall is an award winning musician who recently received a heart transplant and is one of the adult members of IHH. He is an inspiration to so many as he has never given up. He and Hope share the birth date of April 24th. Hopefully next year he will be strong enough to actually be in attendance to the event and what a treat it would be if he entertained us with a collection of his songs. Until then my prayers and thoughts are with him and his family as he recovers from this life saving transplant.