Friday, February 15, 2013

Happy Heart Month!

As everyone knows, February is mostly known for Heart Disease Awareness month. Not Valentine's Day/ Single Awareness Day/ Arizona's Birthday/ Oregon's Birthday whatsoever. More specifically between the 7th to the 14th in February is Congenital Heart Disease week. I wish people were more aware of Congenital Heart Disease and how much it affects us. I'm not disrespecting cancer, because there's no doubt it's an awful, life threatening disease, but I wish the social media put just as much effort to publicizing heart disease than it does to cancer. I'm just saying, when do you ever see commercials or advertisement's raising awareness, stating the facts or broadcasting successful life stories for heart disease or perhaps cystic fibrosis or maybe Alzheimer's. Everyone can agree their all terrible diseases but no one knows the facts. It's like unconsciously leaving us in the dark. So, in honor of CHD week here is the seven day's of CHD Facts:

  • Congenital Heart Defects are common and deadly, yet CHD research is grossly under-funded relative to the prevalence of the disease. 
  • There are NO cure for any of the congenital heart defects. Only "repairs".
  • More than 50% of all children born with CHD will require at least 1 invasive surgery in their lifetime.
  • In most cases, scientists do not know what causes the heart to have a defect.
  • There is no limit to how many defects a patient can have been born with.
  • CHD is the #1 birth defect and kills more people than all of childhood cancers combined.
  • Each year over 1,000,000 babies are born worldwide with congenital heart defect. 100,000 of them will not live to see their first birthday.
(credits to Becca, give her some love and check out her blog: http://lifeasachronicallyillteen.blogspot.com/)

Also, because red is the color of Heart Month, I decided to wear red everyday during Congenital Heart Disease week. Being the narcissist I am, I also took pictures everyday (or at least when I remembered) for proof.
Flamin Red Lips
How could one be told to go to school when it's so beautiful outside?
Red Hipster glasses
Chilling in my glad rags :)
Valentine's Day/ Single Awareness Day/ biggest high school popularity contest
Aristotle once said, "Equality consists of the same treatment of similar persons" We're all different thanks to reproduction and each individuals genetic stem but we are all human. We're all apart of this society making us all equal. No one is less important, more significant, matters or favored more. Whether through our words, our acts or our cures; we all deserve to be treated the same.

Don't leave us in the dark, spread the word and raise awareness! Until next time, Happy Heart Month peaches! 

2 comments:

  1. Hey Shelby

    Finally I found another teenage two time heart transplant recipient! But be for I go to much further I would like to introduce my self, I am Jonathan Fussell, 16 years old, about to turn 17 in June. My latest transplant was April 16, 2012 at Arkansas Children Hospital. Anyway just like to say hey, and I think that its awesome that you wanting to become a Nurse practitioner! If you have a Facebook if you do I'm in a bright yellow shirt, cant miss me! Id like to get to know you, and talk about transplant stuff, or just regular ole school stuff or whatever.

    P.S. You look alot like an old friend of mine from art class! :D

    Jon.

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    1. What's Up Jon,

      I'm glad you found my blog :) I'll find you on Facebook so we can talk about transplants, school, the works. Do you have a Skype too?

      Shelby

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