Why
is today not like other days? It is not the start of Passover, and for others
it may seem like an uneventful Sunday morning that began at 6:30. We are headed
to speak at a heart walk sponsored by the American Heart Association.
We
were both born with a hole in our hearts as well as a defective valve, and have
had multiple open-heart surgeries to repair the hole and replace the defective
valve.
This
morning, we are speaking in front of a crowd of 3000 eager walkers and
supporters of the American Heart Association, sharing our stories of our heart
defects and the impacts they have had on our lives.
Although
we lead normal healthy lives, with doctors’ appointments once a year, our heart
conditions have had large impacts on our lives. These impacts were once just a
limiting physical factor, but have now become something much more. Today, the
impacts from our surgeries and conditions has become emotional, not in a
hindering way, but in a positive way that has encouraged us to seek ways to be
active members of the pediatric cardiac world.
We
met through a leadership program, when we played two truths and a lie, and
learned that we both had similar conditions and a desire to help give others
support and raise awareness about congenital heart defects. Since then, the two of us have been working
with the American Heart Association to be able to reach our goals of support
and awareness.
One
way that we have been working to reach these goals is by working to create
Youth With Heart which will be a group for teenagers with congenital heart
defects. This group will provide a social and learning environment between
teens with similar conditions, as well as establish a connection with pediatric
heart patients and their families. We are working to start this group because we
know that there are many other teens with similar conditions as ours.
Our
goals for Youth With Heart include attending more heart walks, and
participating in American Heart Association events, as well as having monthly
meetings with a speaker who will be able to educate the group on various topics
including how our surgeries work, how we can stay healthy and avoid other
cardiac defects and much more.
Another
goal that we have is to partner with the already existing Moms With Heart, a
group for mothers of toddlers with heart defects, to be able to speak to the
mothers about experiences and feelings that we had, as well as buddy-up with
the younger patients in the hopes of becoming a friend and mentor.
We
had a passion for this group starting back in 2012. This was around the same
time that our passion for Diller began.
We are lucky to be able to say that our two passions have come together
for the Tikun Olam Project.
To
us, Tikun Olam is working to make a change in an area that you are passionate
and making an effort to leave the world in a better state then we found it. We
are passionate and committed to Youth With Heart. Although two people cannot
fix the world, we believe that Youth With Heart is a step in the right
direction because we hope that this group will give teenagers with congenital
heart defects the ability to feel comfortable, have a support system, and
spread awareness about their situations.
The
speech that we gave just a few Sunday’s ago was a meaningful experience for us
both, not simply because we had the chance to get over our stage-fright, but
also because we got the chance to share not only our stories, but also about
our plans for Youth With Heart. Being able to share about something that we are
so passionate about brought smiles to our faces.
On
that Sunday morning, we wanted those in the audience to see our passion for
Youth With Heart, and gather it by supporting or joining Youth With Heart.
Right now, we simply hope that our passion for Youth With Heart, as well as Tikun
Olam are apparent.
When
reading this, perhaps you are able to think of your own passion. Maybe it is connected to Diller, Judaism, or
your family. If Diller has taught us one thing, it would have to be “whatever
you put in, you will get out”. We go
all-in for Youth With Heart because we know that one day it will be a little
piece of Tikun Olam. If you are passionate or have a dream, take what we have
learned from Diller, and go all-in to make your passion and dreams reality!
Thanks
so much for reading,
Rachael
Katz and Philip Caine
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