Mended Little Hearts of Puget Sound

05/27/2026

Our hearts are so heavy as we share the passing of sweet Christopher, who lost his battle due to complications from a heart transplant. C and his mom have been a cherished part of the Mended Little Hearts of Puget Sound community from the beginning, and we want to surround them with love, support, and prayers during this unimaginable time.

If you are able, please consider donating to help support the family during this difficult time. If donating is not possible, prayers, kind thoughts, and sharing this post are deeply appreciated as well.

Please keep C’s family, friends, and everyone who loved him in your prayers. ❤️

Click here to support "❤️Christopher Orona ❤️" by Andrea on FreeFunder!

04/11/2026

How do you explain…
what it feels like to hand your baby to a surgeon and not know if you will ever hold them the same way again?
How do you explain…
watching machines breathe for your child.
Watching machines beat for your child.
Watching a monitor tell you whether your baby is still here
because your own eyes are too terrified to trust themselves.
How do you explain…
the moment a doctor looked at you and said
hour by hour.
Day by day.
And you had to find a way to keep breathing inside those words.
How do you explain…
holding more gratitude than you knew a human heart could carry
while still holding more trauma than any parent should ever have to know?
How do you explain loving a child so completely
that the moment you almost lost them
broke something in you
that a discharge paper and a “she’s doing great” will never fix?
You don’t.
You can’t.
Because there are no words big enough.
And unless someone has sat in that waiting room.
Unless someone has learned to read a cardiac monitor at 2am because their child’s life depended on it.
Unless someone has kissed a forehead connected to more wires than they could count —
They will never fully understand what you are trying to say.
CHD trauma does not end at discharge.
It lives in the mother who still checks if her child is breathing in the middle of the night.
It lives in the father who hears a monitor beep in a store and feels his whole body go cold.
It lives in the sibling who grew up knowing things no child should have to know.
It lives in the family that came home forever changed and had to figure out how to be normal in a life that would never feel normal again.
And time does not heal it.
Time just teaches you how to carry it.
How to tuck it beside the gratitude.
How to smile at a milestone and cry in the car on the way home.
How to love fiercely and be terrified quietly at the exact same time.
If you are carrying this —
the joy and the grief living side by side —
you are not broken.
You are a CHD family.
And you were never meant to carry this alone.
💙 Drop a 💙 if this is your reality.

Share this for every CHD family who has been searching for the words to describe something this big.

02/23/2026

We’re excited to expand our EmpowerTransplant™️ resource library with three new discussion guides❗️

❤️‍🩹Mental & Emotional Support During the Transplant Journey
🩺Adding Years to Your Life Through LVAD & Transplant
🤝Shared Decisions: Protecting Your New Heart During Transport

In addition to discussion guides the program also features webinars and a monthly support group meeting! All of our resources are free and available for download. We welcome patients, caregivers and family along the heart transplant journey to join us at our monthly support group meetings.

Learn more at the link below⬇️
https://mendedhearts.org/empowertransplant/

02/16/2026

02/13/2026

Today's spotlight is on Kassidy, one of our amazing MLH volunteers!

02/12/2026

❤️ CHD Awareness Week – Heart Warrior Spotlight ❤️

Can you believe it?! Christopher will be 16 on 2/24 🥹❤️

Christopher is an incredible CHD warrior who has already faced more than most will in a lifetime. He has undergone three open-heart surgeries:

🫀 Norwood at just 2 weeks old
🫀 Glenn at 6 months
🫀 Fontan at 3½ years old

He has bravely been listed 1B on the heart transplant list, and this March he will be admitted inpatient and listed as Status 1A. His strength, resilience, and courage continue to inspire everyone who knows him.

Right before starting high school, Christopher showed just how big his heart truly is ❤️—he cut off about three years of hair growth and donated it to help others. A powerful reminder that even while fighting his own battles, he’s always thinking of someone else.

When Christopher isn’t busy being a total heart hero, you’ll find him playing video games, especially Fortnite 🎮. He’s also a proud foodie 🍜 with a love for ramen, and enjoys dining out anywhere from McDonald’s to Din Tai Fung. Concerts and live events are another favorite—he loves getting out and making memories.

During Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week, we share Christopher’s story to raise awareness, honor his journey, and remind the world why research, advocacy, and support matter so much.

❤️ We are cheering you on, Christopher—today and always. ❤️

02/11/2026

💙 CHD Awareness – Did You Know? 💙

Congenital Heart Defects (CHDs) are the most common birth defect, affecting nearly 1 in every 100 babies born each year.

The most common CHD is Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) — a hole in the wall (septum) that separates the heart’s lower chambers.
💙 Some VSDs are small and may close on their own
💙 Others require medication, procedures, or open-heart surgery
💙 All require monitoring and specialized cardiac care

CHDs range from mild to complex, but early detection, ongoing care, and advances in medicine are helping more heart warriors grow, thrive, and live full lives.

This week, we wear red and blue, share stories, and raise awareness — because every heart matters.

❤️💙 CHD Awareness saves lives. ❤️💙

02/10/2026

💙 CHD Awareness Spotlight 💙

Meet Trevor!

April 20th marks Trevor’s heartiversary of his first OHS. Trevor was born with Pulmonary Atresia with Intact Ventricular Septum (PA/IVS) and has shown incredible strength every step of the way.

Today, Trevor is thriving — he’s in college and proudly a member of the Drumline for the Husky Marching Band 🥁💜. When he’s not keeping the beat, Trevor loves traveling, learning new languages, drumming, and creating YouTube videos.

From heart warrior to college student and performer, Trevor is a powerful reminder that a CHD diagnosis does not define limits — it showcases resilience.

💙 We celebrate you, Trevor, and honor your journey today and always. 💙