What does it cost to save a life?
Cardiovascular disease, including stroke, kills almost one million people in the United States each year -- that's one death every 35 seconds. What can we do to stop this epidemic? The American Heart Association has developed tactics and programs that will help prevent disability and death from these diseases. However, we need financial support to reach your community's hospitals, universities, schools, doctors offices, emergency medical systems, health departments, places of worship, grocery stores, media and workplaces. With your help we provide the education and resources to significantly reduce the number of deaths.
You can help. Every dollar can save a life.
When Nathan was born in 1997, his mother didn't even get to hold him. The doctors immediately rushed him out of the delivery room to start repairs on his multiple and severe heart defects: double outlets on his right ventricle, heart block, cardiomyopathy and heart failure.
At four days old, Nathan received a pacemaker. At three months old, he was placed on a feeding tube because his heart was too weak to help in the digestive process. At six months old, Nathan required a catheter to help stabilize the pressure in his lungs. Still more surgeries followed, but what he needed most was a heart transplant. Nathan's body was tiny and his heart was weak, but each time medical science gave him a chance, he seized it. Then, at 10 months, he suffered a stroke and lost partial use of his right side. Doctors warned Nathan's family that he might not be strong enough to withstand another operation unless it was a transplant. But Nathan struggled on to live.
In August 1999, Nathan finally received a new heart. He'll need medications for the rest of his life, but he has a fresh start and his outlook is good.
