The HERD

The HERD We have expanded and are a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Celina, Ohio. We are now The HERD! CHD is 1 in 100 with no cure.

The HERD (CASH'S HEART HERD 501(C)(3) non-profit) was created to support advancement in CHD research, raise CHD awareness, provide CHD advocacy & education, and support CHD families & local critically ill children in the trenches of in-hospital stays. We were previous Cash's Heart Herd, but as what naturally occurs, our HERD expanded too. We strive to be a robust support system for all CHD Warrior

s. As The HERD, we are "Protecting Little Heart, Advancing Big Research" through our fundraising efforts. Thank you for joining our HERD and picking up the fight for our CHD Warriors and local critically ill children when they need a break from baring the weight of diagnosis without cures and the battle to live healthy lives. Every dollar raised through our organization goes directly to the cause. Our board is 100% volunteer; therefore, a dollar donated is a dollar received. We have donated over $150,000 to CHD research and awareness. We supply grants and support bags to local in-hospital CHD Warriors and local critically ill children. A child's recovery progress is directly related to the in-hospital support and ability to have a constant presence of their family during that time. Each of these children may look healthy, but their scars and future scars hold different stories. OUR PURPOSE STATEMENT:
The HERD (Cash’s Heart Herd) stands for the journey that each Heart Warrior and their family or Herd’s experience with congenital heart disease. Our purpose is to bring awareness and education of congenital heart disease and the importance of early diagnosis to our communities. We strive to provide funding for research, for not only a cure, but to improved medical treatments reducing the need for multiple surgeries. It is our purpose to connect CHD families and provide necessary support for a successful adaptation into the CHD world with each new milestone. As a HERD, we believe in leaving no child to fight alone. Our Herd supports our locally critically ill hospitalized children who are in need of a robust ground to pick up the fight when they are tired and in need. WHERE WE STARTED:
Cash is our Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) Warrior that has brought us into a community that we didn't know anything about. Our journey started on September 22, 2019, with an ER visit to Dayton Children's Hospital followed by a 7 1/2 hour open heart surgery on October 1, 2019, at Nationwide Children's Hospital. Cash was diagnosed with the following congenital heart defects: Hypoplasia of Aortic Arch, Coartation of Aortic with bicuspid aortic value, 2 Ventricular Septal Defect, Patent Foramen Ovale, Patent Ductus Arteriosus, Enlarged Right Atrium, Right Ventricle Arcade Mitral Value, and Mitral Value Stenosis. This page is not for the support of our CHD Warrior, but for all CHD Warriors. Our goal is to support research in prevention and expansion on intervention, education, advocacy and support of families in the trenches through in-hospital programs.

Great tips for any child!
05/29/2026

Great tips for any child!

Summer can be harder on children with congenital heart disease because heat makes the body work harder. Some children with CHD tolerate heat well, while others may tire faster, become dehydrated more easily, or struggle with temperature regulation. Here’s a simple breakdown you could use:

☀️ Summer Tips for Kids with CHD
💧 Stay Ahead of Dehydration
Offer fluids regularly — don’t wait until they say they’re thirsty
Popsicles, watermelon, and fruit can help with hydration too
Follow fluid restrictions if your cardiology team has given them

🧊 Keep Cool
Lightweight clothing
Cooling towels, fans, misting bottles
Shade whenever possible
Avoid the hottest parts of the day (usually midday-afternoon)

🏃 Watch for Signs They Need a Break
Every child is different, but watch for:
Becoming unusually tired
Breathing harder than normal
Looking pale or flushed
Dizziness
Complaints of chest discomfort
Wanting to stop activities sooner than usual

🌊 Water Play Can Be Great
Splash pads
Kiddie pools
Water tables
Short swimming sessions with breaks
(Always follow activity guidance from their cardiology team.)

🍉 Plan More Rest Breaks
Summer activities can be exciting and exhausting. Extra breaks are okay.

🚗 Cars Heat Up Fast
Even a short time in a hot car can be dangerous — cool the vehicle before getting in.

❤️ Remember: Every CHD Child Is Different
Some children run all day. Others need slower days. Comparing your child to another CHD warrior rarely helps.

Simple reminder for parents:
"If the heat is making healthy adults miserable, your CHD kid probably needs extra support too."

What is your go-to summer survival tip for your heart warrior? Drop it below 👇☀️❤️

Follow Invisible Warriors — we share the moments nobody else talks about. So no heart family ever feels invisible or alone. 💙

04/18/2026
04/11/2026

💙 DID YOU KNOW? 💙
Siblings of children with critical congenital heart defects are at an elevated risk for mental health challenges.
And nobody talks about it.
Not the doctors.
Not the specialists.
Not the system that is so focused on keeping one child alive that it forgets there is another child at home watching all of it happen.
They are not the patient.
But they are not okay either.
💔 70–80% of CHD siblings experience emotional or behavioral distress.
💔 40–60% report symptoms of anxiety.
💔 30–50% show signs of depression.
💔 25–35% experience symptoms consistent with trauma and PTSD.
💔 60%+ report feeling overlooked. Invisible. Like their pain doesn’t count because their sibling’s pain is bigger.
Let that sit for a moment.
More than half of the brothers and sisters of heart warriors are walking around carrying trauma that nobody named for them.
Nobody validated.
Nobody treated.
Nobody even noticed.
Because all eyes were on the child with the scar.
And the child without the scar learned very early that their feelings had to wait.
They watched their parent disappear into a hospital for days.
Weeks.
Sometimes months.
They learned what it means to be scared without anyone explaining why.
They learned what it means to love someone you are terrified of losing.
They learned what it means to need something and decide not to ask.
Because asking felt selfish.
Because their sibling needed more.
Because they were the one who was supposed to be okay.
They are not just watching the journey.
They are living it.
In silence.
Alone.
Without a single person asking if they are alright.
CHD does not only live in the child with the diagnosis.
It lives in every person who loves them.
💙 Tag a CHD sibling who deserves to be seen today.
💙 Drop a 💙 if this is your family’s reality.
💙 Comment WARRIOR and I will send you the link to connect with our community directly.
Share this post. Someone needs to feel seen today and it might just be the sibling nobody remembered to check on.
Follow Invisible Warriors — we share the moments nobody else talks about. So no heart family ever feels invisible or alone. 💙
Click the link in our bio to support CHD families — all of them. Every member. Every heart. 💙

✨ We have an announcement! ✨ The Beat Goes On: Hearts in Wonderland is coming mark your calendars for February 6, 2027!...
03/19/2026

✨ We have an announcement! ✨

The Beat Goes On: Hearts in Wonderland is coming mark your calendars for February 6, 2027! ❤️♠️

Get ready to step into a world of wonder, whimsy, and heart… more magic coming soon! 🎩

The HERD The Beat Goes On

The HERD represented by Gabe Archer and Edna took the pulnge today! Well done guys! 💙❤️
02/21/2026

The HERD represented by Gabe Archer and Edna took the pulnge today! Well done guys! 💙❤️

We will be there cheering!!!
02/20/2026

We will be there cheering!!!

We made it to Friday and we made it to POLAR PLUNGE WEEKEND!!! If you have attended then you are aware how amazing this event is. If you havent attended we highly reccommed doing so. Start tomorrow!!! The amount of money raised by our plungers to jump in the cold lake is unbelievable. We thank them year after year and if you’re a donor we thank you as well!! We know of groups from Defiance Moose Lodge #2094 and the competition between their President and Administrator. As always our Celina Schools will have a large group of plungers as well as Mercer County Special Olympics group! Hamilton Moose 36 Family Center will be sending up their crew and even believe we have a few people representing The HERD! If you have a group coming up, comment and tag them!!

We will try to go live on Facebook as well.

Friday:
Lunch Special is Fish sand fries for $5
Tonight Lauryn Ashley Music 7-10

Saturday:
Registration begins at 11.
Costume contest at 1230
Plunge at 1
Blackhoof Creek 3-6

02/18/2026

We are looking for the winner of the Karate membership raffle bucket. If you know who this was or if it's you, please contact us.

We are so blessed to have a community of supporters that believe in our cause. This will help us to continue to move the...
02/17/2026

We are so blessed to have a community of supporters that believe in our cause. This will help us to continue to move the mission forward. Thank you!

Our 2026 Heart Week CHD fundraiser has come to an end. We gave away 4 “pizza for a year” prizes and were able to raise $3,841.00 for The Herd.
Thank you so much to all who supported this cause!! 💙❤️🍕

Thank you for making a memorable night for us.
02/15/2026

Thank you for making a memorable night for us.

02/15/2026

Before the gold medals.
Before the X Games.
Before the legacy.

Shaun White was born with a congenital heart defect and underwent two open-heart surgeries before his first birthday.

CHD doesn’t end dreams — and it doesn’t define potential.
Heart warriors grow up. ❤️

Address

Celina, OH

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