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Welcome to Fun Fact Friday -- a special weekly podcast during Heart Month (February 2022). Each Friday we'll be sharing fun facts for the congenital heart defect community. Our Guest is Frank Jaworski, CRNA and father to a 27-year-old single ventricle Heart Warrior. He's also Host Anna Jaworski's husband.

In this episode, Frank will answer the question: Who is the 'Father of Interventional Cardiology'?

Special thanks to Scott Holmes Music for the song we're using during our Fun Fact Friday episode -- "Summer Fun" which you can find here: https://scottholmesmusic.com/

Thanks to Pixabay for the image used with the podcast. https://pixabay.com/vectors/people-group-folks-community-154111/

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It's Tasty Thursday! Won't you join cookbook author, Amy M. Le, and Frank and Anna Jaworski as they dish about an appetizer found in Amy M. Le's cookbook, 'Snow's Kitchen'? This week, and for every Thursday in Heart Month (February), these three friends will talk about one recipe after another found in the cookbook and modified by Frank and Anna in an attempt to make the recipe more keto-friendly. Tune in to discover just how successful the Jaworskis were and what the food tasted like after necessary substitutions were made.

Special thanks to Christian H. Soetemann for his song "Asian Clothes" as found on Free Music Archive.  https://freemusicarchive.org/music/christian-h-soetemann/music-for-museums

Here is this artist’s website: http://www.cryptic-scenery.de/cryptic_scenery/cryptic_scenery.htm

To purchase Amy's cookbook, "Snow's Kitchen" use this link
For an autographed copy of the book, use this link
Amy's website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HeartCommunity

For a home-made peanut sauce, use this link: Tu David Phu (@cheftudavidphu) • Instagram photos and videos

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Sheri Turner is our newest Defender Patron and she also serves as a HUG Volunteer. Thank you so much for your generosity and all you do, Sheri!

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Anna's Buzzsprout Affiliate Link

Baby Blue Sound Collective

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Each Wednesday in Heart Month (February) 2022 I will invite you to do something to contribute to your mental health. Please share your tasks with me on my Facebook page (just look for "Heart to Heart with Anna!") or on my website (https://www.hug-podcastnetwork.com/contact-us.html).

This is our first Mental Health Wednesday and it's all about gratitude. Research has shown that people who are grateful for what they have tend to be happier overall and suffer less from depression and anxiety. Today we will share 3 things we are grateful for.

Anna will share 3 things on the podcast and you can share three things you are grateful for on her "Heart to Heart with Anna" Facebook page or on the Hearts Unite the Globe website (see link above).

In addition to the 3 things Anna is talking about on the podcast, she is also very grateful for the free music she found to accompany each Mental Health Wednesday program. Thank you Siddhartha Corsus! This song is “Oh, Radiant One” and you can find it at https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Siddhartha
Here is this artist’s website: https://siddhartha.music.blog/

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Sheri Turner is our newest Defender Patron and she also serves as a HUG Volunteer. Thank you so much for your generosity and all you do, Sheri!

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Anna's Buzzsprout Affiliate Link

Baby Blue Sound Collective

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Why would someone born with a heart defect in Venezuela who has moved to the USA care about children born with heart defects in her country today? How can one woman make a difference in the lives of children living in a dictatorship? What is the most important thing Belen Blanton has learned since she started her international nonprofit organization?

Belen Blanton was born with tricuspid atresia in Caracas, Venezuela back in 1965. When she was born, many doctors told her mom that she was not going to make it. Fortunately, her mother took her to a cardiologist that had contact with Houston Children's hospital in Texas, where she had surgery, a Potts Shunt procedure performed by Dr. Denton Cooley.  

From age 15 she began to experience complications including arrhythmia. When she was 21 she moved to the US and from age 30 experienced atrial fibrillation, endocarditis, Eisenmenger Syndrome, and pulmonary hypertension. She is married with two sons and has recently started a charity to help those living in her home country of Venezuela. She believes her life has been a gift and she has felt a need to give back to others in her country by creating a nonprofit organization called ‘Estrellita de Belen Foundation.’

 Links mentioned during the episode:

Belen's "Heart to Heart with Anna" episode: 'Heart Warrior from Venezuela to the USA'

Belen Blanton's foundation
Fundacion Estrellita de Bele

Belen's IG page, 'You Don't Have to Look Sick' 

Adult Congenital Heart Association 

Hearts Unite the Globe

Global ARCH

Conquering CHD

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Sheri Turner is our newest Defender Patron and she also serves as a HUG Volunteer. Thank you so much for your generosity and all you do, Sheri!

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What is being done in 2022 to help children born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS)? Is it possible to consider there may be a day when heart defects can actually be cured? What event is occurring on February 3, 2022 to raise funds to stamp out congenital heart defects?

Dr. Timothy Nelson is the director of the Todd and Karen Wanek Family Program for HLHS at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Nelson’s research work is focused on cardiovascular regeneration using bioengineered stem cells to improve the ability to discover, diagnose, and ultimately treat mechanisms of degenerative diseases. 

As director of the program, Dr. Nelson and his team are specifically interested in the cause of HLHS and finding ways to delay and prevent heart failure for individuals with HLHS. To better understand and treat this congenital heart disease, the program has taken a multifaceted approach that includes research into stem cells, genetics, imaging tools, and the creation of a biorepository. The program has launched clinical trials using autologous stem cells, also known as stem cells collected from an individual’s own body.

In June 2020, “HeartWorks” was created to accelerate and expand the product development undertaken by the program at the Mayo Clinic. 

This episode includes discussion about Dr.  Timothy Nelson's research as well as a conversation about an important, upcoming fundraising event.

Links mentioned in the podcast:

Jennifer Gutman on "Heart to Heart with Anna" talking about her HLHS child's participation in the Mayo Clinic's stem cell research project 

Dr. Timothy Nelson on "Heart to Heart with Anna" in Season 9.

A Cure is in the Works Celebration

Todd and Karen Wanek Family Program for HLHS

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Who is Oyauma Garrison? What is ‘A Kid Again’ and how can that organization help the congenital heart defect community? What services do ‘A Kid Again’ provide?

Oyauma Garrison is the President and CEO of A Kid Again, Inc, a nonprofit organization that provides ongoing, cost-free adventures for children facing life-threatening conditions. A Kid Again provides hope, happiness, and healing through ongoing fun activities called Adventures. These adventures are available to the whole family and are always entirely free of charge.

Prior to his involvement in the charity, Oyauma was an insurance company executive of over 20 years. He currently serves as a Director on the Board of Buckeye Insurance.

Active in the community, Oyauma has received numerous awards for leadership and community service. He has received an honorary doctorate degree from Franklin University for Community Leadership.

Oyauma received his bachelor’s degree from Denison University and his MBA from Franklin University. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Oyauma is married to Dr. Sacheen Garrison and the proud father of Mya, Cameron, and Carter.

Links mentioned during this episode:

A Kid Again website:  https://akidagain.org/
Make-A-Wish:  https://wish.org/
Nationwide Children's Hospital: https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/

A Kid Again Social Media Pages:

https://www.facebook.com/akidagain/

https://twitter.com/akidagain

https://www.instagram.com/a_kid_again/

Please visit our Social Media and Podcast pages:

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Anna's Buzzsprout Affiliate Link (we both benefit if you sign up with Buzzsprout with my link - yay!)

Sheri Turner is our newest Defender Patron and she also serves as a HUG Volunteer. Thank you so much for your generosity and all you do, Sheri!

Support the show

Anna's Buzzsprout Affiliate Link

Baby Blue Sound Collective

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Why would parents of a child with a congenital heart defect start a podcast? Why would they write a book? What does this dynamic duo hope to achieve when it comes to helping the congenital heart defect (CHD) community?

Tom and Kat Hansen are parents to 9-year-old daughter Audrey and 7-year-old son Harding. In 2014, Harding was diagnosed with multiple congenital heart defects in utero, for which he has undergone three open-heart surgeries and multiple other procedures.

Inspired by their journey with Harding, they wrote a book, and then they started a podcast, The Hope and Courage Podcast for CHD Parents, where they share their insights and interview experts and people with a lived experience of CHD. Their book Hope and Courage: Real-Life Lessons from the Parents of a Child with Congenital Heart Disease will be released in 2022.

A former high school math teacher, Tom is currently a corporate trainer and instructional designer. In addition to caring for their children, Kat runs the Hope and Courage platform. The family lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, and enjoys going on adventures together.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Tom and Kat's website

Tom and Kat's Instagram page

Tom and Kat's podcast

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Anna's Buzzsprout Affiliate Link (we both benefit if you sign up with Buzzsprout with my link - yay!) 

Sheri Turner is our newest Defender Patron and she also serves as a HUG Volunteer. Thank you so much for your generosity and all you do, Sheri!

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How can having an atrial septal defect, or ASD, affect a baby’s growth and development? Specifically, could an ASD be responsible for feeding issues? What are the dangers of surgeons operating on a baby too soon if their congenital heart defect (CHD) is an ASD?

Amna Saeed Salman is the author of Style Stripped, a prominent fashion and lifestyle blog in Pakistan. She is also Mom to beautiful 4-year-old twin boys. One of the boys was diagnosed with a 24mm atrial septal defect at age 1. Amna researched surgery options in England, Pakistan, and America and received differing opinions. Watching her son struggle to keep up with his brother, she decided to go for the surgery when he was 20 months of age. Amna noticed an immediate improvement in her son and today he is thriving. 

In this episode of "Heart to Heart with Anna," Amna talks with Anna about her son's medical journey, some of the differences between medical treatment of CHDs in Pakistan and abroad, and how she has become a CHD advocate.

Here is a link to an article referencing Amna's blog

Here is an article about another team having a medical mission to Pakistan

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Sheri Turner is our newest Defender Patron and she also serves as a HUG Volunteer. Thank you so much for your generosity and all you do, Sheri!

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How can a person’s spirituality help her when it comes to coping with her congenital heart defect? What spiritual practices can help Heart Warriors? Why would a Heart Warrior be willing to talk about her spirituality?

Allison  Holmes was born in 1972 with seven heart defects, and she is also a cancer survivor. She has been evaluated twice for the heart and lung transplant list but is not on the list at this time. Since Allison has Situs Inversus, doctors are not sure how to hook up a healthy heart and lungs to the rest of her organs. At present, her heart condition seems to be stable, but she is dealing with pulmonary hypertension. She works as an ESL tutor from home and volunteers with Meals on Wheels and Carolina Waterfowl Rescue. She is also an Adult Congenital Heart Association Ambassador for North Carolina. Allison feels that her spiritual beliefs have helped her through her CHD journey.   

In the first segment, we’ll meet Allison and discover a little bit more about her health journey. The 2nd Segment will involve us learning more about how her spirituality has helped her on that journey and in the last segment, we will learn about Allison’s future.

Links mentioned during the episode:

Allison's "Heart to Heart with Anna" episode: 'Thriving with CHD'

Belen Blanton's foundation
Fundacion Estrellita de Belen

Adult Congenital Heart Association 

Please visit our Social Media and Podcast pages:

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Anna's Buzzsprout Affiliate Link (we both benefit if you sign up with Buzzsprout with my link - yay!)

Sheri Turner is our newest Defender Patron and she also serves as a HUG Volunteer. Thank you so much for your generosity and all you do, Sheri!

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Anna's Buzzsprout Affiliate Link

Baby Blue Sound Collective

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Loyal Listeners of "Heart to Heart with Anna" fill the studio in this extra-special episode. They celebrate the 8th anniversary of the podcast by sharing who they are in the congenital heart defect (CHD) community, what episodes are their favorites and why, as well as what they would like to hear on "Heart to Heart with Anna" in 2022.

Episodes and Organizations mentioned in this show

Amy M Le
https://62761.buzzsprout.com/62761/8324425-vietnamese-refugee-author-heart-warrior
https://62761.buzzsprout.com/62761/8667060-a-surprise-for-heart-warrior-amy-m-le

Ellen Banoub

Belen Blanton
Fundacion Estrellita de Belen - https://fundacionestrellitadebelen.org/
Guerreros Del Corazon - https://www.hug-podcastnetwork.com/guerreros-del-corazoacuten.html

Lisa Schaffer



Michael, Lisa, Mabel, and Maggie Olivares

Heidi Ingvaldson

Tony Codaro

Appu George

Sheri Turner is our newest Defender Patron and she also serves as a HUG Volunteer. Thank you so much for your generosity and all you do, Sheri!

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