Congenital Heart Defects....

http://www.itsmyheart.org/chd-information/chd-facts/

Kim found this link and I wanted to add it to my blog too. Some of you may or may not know that my daughter was born with a heart defect. But do you know anything about heart defects? i know, I know, you have probably heard of a heart murmur, or a whole in someone's heart.But do you really know what that means? Did you know there is more that 1 "type" of whole? More than just an irregular heart beat? Did you know that 1 out of every 85 babies is born with some type of heart defect??I have copy the info from the link and pasted it below. Please read through it. Congenital Heart Defect Awareness week is Feb 7-14. Please think about all the babies born every year(approx 40,000) that has to survive. These babies don't get to live like everyone else. They live to survive. I will be posting more about this and our new life that began on July 22,2006. Pics will be included. yes, pictures of my child from her OPEN HEART SURGERY AT 8 MONTHS OLD. Yes, that is how much these babies go through! Please pray for them. Please read the info below. It will teach you something.

Congenital Heart Defects are the #1 birth defect. Source: March of Dimes
Congenital Heart Defects are the #1 cause of birth defect related deaths. Source: March of Dimes About 1 out of every 100 babies are born each year with some type of Congenital Heart Defect. (approx. 40,000/year) Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
Nearly twice as many children die from Congenital Heart Defects in the United States each year as from all forms of childhood cancers combined, yet funding for pediatric cancer research is five times higher than funding for CHD. Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
The American Heart Association directs only $0.30 of every dollar donated toward research. The remainder goes toward administration, education and fundraising efforts. Of the $0.30 that goes toward research only $0.01 goes toward pediatric cardiology for CHD. Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
This year approximately 4,000 babies will not live to see their first birthday because of Congenital Heart Defects. Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
The cost for inpatient surgery to repair Congenital Heart Defects exceeds $2.2 billion a year. Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
Of every dollar the government spends on medical funding only a fraction of a penny is directed toward Congenital Heart Defect research. Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
Though research is ongoing, at least 35 defects have now been identified.
4-8% born with CHD have Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
4-10% born with CHD have Atrioventricular Septal Defects
8-11% born with CHD have Coarctation of the Aorta
9-14% born with CHD have Tetralogy of Fallot
10-11% born with CHD have Transposition of the Great Arteries
14-16% born with CHD have Ventricular Septal Defects
Although some babies will be diagnosed during gestation or at birth, sometimes the diagnosis is not made until days, weeks, months, or even years after. In some cases, CHD is not detected until adolescence or adulthood. Source: March of Dimes
It is a proven fact that the earlier CHD is detected and treated, it is more likely the affected child will survive and have less long term health complications. Source: March of Dimes