We have the amazing honor supporting Mend A Heart Foundation since meeting Brian and Bridget O'Meara almost 9 years ago. We met them when we were pregnant with our son, Owen, who was also diagnosed with a heart defect prior to birth. They supported us as fellow heart parents thrust into the uncertainty of a diagnosis no one is prepared for. We began advocating & volunteering with this amazing foundation because of their dedication. Raising funds to support research, bringing awareness congenital heart defects, helping those with defects enjoy their childhood and screening those who may not know they have a life threatening condition. These are goals that every 'heart parent' hopes for. Every year they help further research, more children have access to camp, more young athletes are screened for heart issues - and hopefully more parents who have joined the ranks of 'heart parent' find Mend A Heart and feel that they are not alone in this journey.
I have been a volunteer for the Mend a Heart foundation since it's inception and know Brian and Bridget O'Meara personally since their son, Liam, was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect while in utero. They started this foundation to help fund researchers looking to extend the lives of children born with heart defects. I'm honored to be apart of an organization where I know 100% of all proceeds raised goes towards helping these heart kids.
I first met Brian and Bridget O’Meara, the founders of Mend-A-Heart, several years ago and have become familiar with Mend-A-Heart and their mission. I am impressed with their dedication to improving the lives of children born with congenital heart defects. Mend-A-Heart not only provides funding to support research aimed at improving outcomes for children affected by congenital heart disease, but they also help local kids impacted by congenital heart defects attend camp where they can enjoy just being kids while in a safe environment. As the parent of a child born with a congenital heart defect, I have experienced first hand how advances in research can improve outcomes for these children. We are lucky to have the organization Mend-A-Heart and Brian and Bridget who work so tirelessly to raise awareness and funding for research for congenital heart defects.
Several years ago I attended a Mend A Heart benefit and was so impressed with the entire event. The stories shared about the impact the Foundation has on many lives moved me to become a volunteer. It makes it easy to volunteer knowing ALL of the funds raised go directly toward their mission to help children with congenital heart defects. Research will continue to be funded and children will be able to attend specialized summer camp because of this incredible organization.
I have volunteered for Mend A Heart for many years now and it is truly an amazing organization. It is the only non-profit that I am aware of that has ZERO paid employees. It is comforting to know that every dollar that is donated goes directly to the cause at hand. Whether it is funding research for congenital heart defects, sending heart kids to summer camp or purchasing defibrillators for local schools, I know that all donations are going directly to help the mission of Mend A Heart.
Mend-A-Heart is a wonderful organization run by two extremely dedicated parents. I have had the honor of volunteering for MAH and am also a parent of a child with congenital heart defects. Our family certainly appreciates all of the time and effort put into MAH and will continue to support the foundation.
Two extremely dedicated parents choosing to turn a challenge into an opportunity to help others. Mend a Heart selects projects that help extend and enrich the lives of children born with congenital heart defects. I am a proud volunteer and know that 100% of the donations received go towards the mission.
Mend-a-Heart is an amazing foundation - run by 2 extremely dedicated parents. I have been a volunteer for the organization for the past 3 years, and I am so proud to serve my time with this fabulous group! Their mission to help children with congenital heart defects is clearly defined, and the use of funds to support these kids is amazing! This organization has grown by leaps and bounds over the years, and it only continues to get stronger with each passing year....that is one more step closer to finding a cure for certain defects. It does not get much better than Mend-a-Heart!!!!
I have been a volunteer/donor for Mend A Heart for 6 years. Every year Mend A Heart provides funding for research related to Congenital Heart Disease as well as providing funds to allow children with heart related problems to go to specialized camps in the summer. These camps provide these children with an opportunity to enjoy what many other kids take for granted. One item that makes me especially proud is how this is 100% volunteer based with no wasted money on administration costs. I know my money is going either to fund research or to give a child a moment in sun. I am proud to be friends with Bridget and Brian O'Meara and to support this foundation.
I have been fortunate enough to be involved with the Mend-a-Heart Foundation for 4+ years and I have seen for myself the impact the hard work of Bridget and Brian O'Meara has had on the heart patients involved. I've heard the first hand stories of how lives have been improved and saved from the research Mend-a-Heart contributes to, and the camps the children attend. The annual fundraiser is an event my wife and I look forward to attending all year. Great cause, great people, great impact!
I first encountered the Mend-A-Heart Foundation a year and a half ago when I was encouraged to submit a grant for a clinical investigation regarding children with congenital heart disease. Like all grant applications you dedicate yourself to selling your research idea and justifying why you deserve funding more than any other well qualified applicant. Then you wait! Thankfully, funding came and my excitement to proceed with my idea moved forward but little did I know that was just the beginning of my relationship with Mend-A-Heart and its founders Brian and Bridget O’Meara. I should have known this was a special organization when my acceptance letter came in the form of a personalized e-mail from the O’Meara’s. This was followed by a phone call from Brian to express how excited they were about the research we were proposing. He explained why Mend-A-Heart is so important to him and Bridget and shared very passionate stories of the lives this foundation has touched. Not long after that conversation I was invited to attend the foundations annual benefit and speak on behalf of the research we would be doing. Being nervous I e-mailed the O’Meara’s and asked what the attire would be for the evening and I was assured that it was very casual and that if I wanted I could bring my daughter. The evening of the benefit was truly life changing. From the silent auctions to fund raising games and activities it had all the essentials a big time event however, it was the small town charm and laid back atmosphere that made a huge impression on me. The O’Meara’s personally greeted every individual in that room with a warmth and sincerity that was real and unforced with each conversation revealing something about what the foundation meant to them. There were children whose lives had been touched by the foundation in attendance and I was fortunate to be able to talk with them and their parents. Later that evening it was my chance to talk about my research and what it would mean to the children this foundation supports. I shared with the attendees that I was confident the research we were doing would help children with congenital heart disease and make a difference in these kid’s lives. But more importantly I couldn’t help thinking of the impact that the O’Meara’s and the Mend-A-Heart Foundation will have for many years to come and that I wanted to be a part of it. As I drove home that evening my 10 year-old daughter looked at me and said “Dad that was really cool”. I just smiled and said “Yes it was”!
Mend A Heart is a foundation started by Brian and Bridget O'Meara, with the goal of advancing medical research on congenital heart disease. The O'Meara's are remarkable people, busy professionals and dedicated parents, and yet they make time to raise funds to support research on pediatric heart disease. Bridget O'Meara identified my laboratory through her own research efforts and then visited us in Seattle, meeting with several of my staff and trainees. We were encouraged to apply for funding and were lucky to be selected. Using funding generated by Mend A Heart, my group was able to advance research in stem cell biology, creating human heart muscle and using it to build cardiac tissue patches. We hope that this "engineered tissue" will prove useful one day in repairing hearts of children with congenital malformations. This is currently a small foundation but, given the ingenuity of its founders, it has the potential to make a significant impact on pediatric cardiovascular medicine.
