Welcome to a special edition of ONE blog circle.
The month of February is heart month. For this reason, we have each chosen to display an image with paper hearts in support of the Paper Heart Project. The Paper Heart Project was founded by my dear friend and fellow blog circle member, Danielle Awwad. It began as an attempt to raise awareness for Congenital Heart Defects. Danielle’s journey with CHD is a long and on going story that you can read about HERE. Since founding the Paper Heart Project in 2016, photographers from around the world have come together using their art to raise awareness and support this great cause.
Our family has been so fortunate health wise, occasionally plagued by curable colds and flu. Our journey with heart related issues has been brief. My daughter was born with a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), which is basically a small hole in her heart. This hole closed completely by the time she was a year old and we have hardly thought about it since. I am in awe of the strength and courage that these children and mothers face, whose journeys drag on with never ending doctor’s appointments, surgeries, recoveries, and sickness. My children are my heart and soul and I can only imagine what these families face.
Be sure to click all the way around the circle to see the images our circle has chosen to use for this cause. Up next is Danielle Awwad. Sadly, quite a few of the photographers in our group have been touched by heart issues and share their stories.
Read more about Heart month.
Read more about Congenital Heart Defects.
To view Paper Heart Project images visit the hashtag #paperheartproject on instagram or head to the Paper Heart Project Facebook group.
We invite anyone and everyone to join in this project! Just share your images on any social media platform with the hashtag #paperheartproject and/or #CHDawareness.
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[…] Time for another round of our ONE blog circle. This month we decided to have a special theme. February is Heart Health Month. Nearly 1 in 100 babies will be born with a congenital heart defect (CHD). Sometimes it’s minor & just needs to be monitored, other cases are life-threatening & require a newborn baby to undergo open heart surgery. Danielle Awwad of Little Farm Photography, is a fellow blog circle member. She has her own personal journey with CHD. She started The Paper Heart Project in an attempt to bring awareness to this childhood disease. With awareness comes research, funding, and hopefully more success stories. Next up in the circle is a gorgeous image by Tara Fletcher with Tara Fletcher Photography. […]
This is SO awesome Tara, coming from someone who has CHD. I was born with my intestines outside of me, and several holes in my heart, and my heart in the middle of my chest with no bone protecting it. After being rushed to U Of M, I had a 30% of survival. After several long surgeries, I ened up with a pacemaker at a month old. To this day I have to undergo surgeries every couple years to change out the pacemaker, or leads. It’s something I rarely think of because I’ve been dealing with it my whole life, but this post brought tears to my eyes that there are people who care!! Thanks!!
Ashley, your story is SO inspiring! I knew you had annual checkups and I remember the complications you had during your pregnancies, but I don’t think I ever heard your birth and childhood stories. Thank you for sharing. Your family is so blessed to have you. I would love to see you post some paper heart pictures with your beautiful kiddos this month! <3