February is Congenital Heart Defect awareness month but for those of us that are CHD parents every

day is CHD awareness day! Matthew continues to do well! We took a trip to Ireland over Christmas

and New Year’s where the highlight of the trip for all the boys was a visit to Bunratty Castle, a REAL

castle! We were treated to a private tour of the castle by our cousin Donie who works there. We also

had a great time visiting family in County Meath and the Clare cousins in County Clare.

2012 was a big year for Matthew’s Hearts of Hope. When I reflect on where we were a year ago I am

feel very blessed at how far we have come. Every newborn in the State of Connecticut is now

screened for Critical Congenital Heart Defects as of January 1^st , thanks to “Matthew and Faith’s Law”.

I have reached out to the states of New York and Maine to offer assistance with their bills. In January

Guideposts featured our inspiring story, it reached over five million people. I have gotten many

messages of gratitude and people sharing their stories of Hope. We delivered  500+ “Hug a Heart”

Pillows to children like Matthew who have to undergo open heart surgery at Columbia Presbyterian

Hospital in New York.

At our Gala in September, we honored the many people that have helped on our journey. We also

raised over $15,000 for our great cause. In November I was both flattered and humbled to receive

the coveted “Women of Heart” Award for 2012 for my efforts in raising awareness to the #1 birth

defect, Congenital Heart Defects and for “Matthew and Faith’s Law”. I was quoted on the program as

saying “I am blessed every day to have a four year old in my life that inspires me to work hard and

make a difference”. Those words are words I hope I can stay true to for a long time!

Last Tuesday, February 5^th, the children at the Sherman School stuffed 313 “Hug a Heart” Pillows full

of polyfill, love and a few ounces of hope. They were featured in a segment called “Making a

Difference” on NBC Connecticut 6pm News that night for their efforts. Many volunteers make this

project possible, thank you from the bottom of my heart and Matthew’s half a heart for your efforts,

you all know who you are!  A special thank you to Fairfield Processing, Clothing labels4U, JoAnn

Fabric and One Stop Cleaners for their contributions to this great endeavor!

Lastly our NFP status is still pending but we should have it very soon. We are in the early stages of

planning our third annual “Giving from the Heart “Gala which will be in October. As always, thank

you for your support and prayers on this great journey, Happy Valentine’s Day to you and yours!

Below are links to our Guideposts Story featured in January and also our Hug a Heart Pillow Project in the News Times


GuidePost  
NewsTimes

Here is a video from NBC Connecticut on the Heart Pillows!

Click here

2012

Today, two very special CHD angels Faith and Eiren are celebrating their birthdays in Heaven. This

motivates me every day to raise awareness to the #1 Birth Defect and make a difference. Matthew

our CHD warrior is still here fighting the fight and I hope what we are doing in memory of both of

you, makes you proud! He continues to do well and has started Preschool again as well as soccer

both of which he loves!

Our Gala on September 15^th was a great success and we raised over $15,000 for our great cause. A

special “Gura Mile Maith Agat”, (thanks a million in Gaelic) goes out to the Incredible Fundraising

Committee of Sue Peet, Susan Seeger, Jeannine Johnson, Amy Bocompani and Julie Head. It was a

great night of celebration and fun. Thank you also to Rocco and Manny and their staff at Anthony’s

Lake Club, they did an amazing job and the food was delicious. Thank you also to Bob O’Connor our

DJ who did a great job. Congratulations to all the honorees, I hope your plaques have a place of

honor in your homes or offices, we appreciate all that you have done to help Matthew’s Hearts of

Hope on our journey to this point. Thank you also to all our donors, we had 48 silent and live auction

items and 18 raffle items!

Guideposts Magazine was here on Thursday for a photo shoot and our story will be featured in their

upcoming January Edition. Also The Danbury News Times called yesterday and did an interview on

me since I won the 2012 Women of Heart Award, see attached flyer for details of the event on

November 1^st ………………………... I am humbled, flattered and grateful . Thank you Bernadette Schopfer

for the nomination, it was a complete surprise. I am blessed every day to have a four year in my life

that inspires me to work hard and make a difference. We also just delivered more “Heart Pillows” to

Columbia Presbyterian. As always thank you from the bottom of my heart and Matthew’s half a heart

for your support and prayers

 

Money Donated to Columbia Presbyterian Raised from the Gala

Matthew and the Heart Pillows Delivered to Columbian Presbyterian

 

Matthew is having a GREAT SUMMER! We have taken three quick trips, two overnight stays at Aunt

Ginny’s for bowling and fireworks with a visit to The Land of Make Believe and then last week we

went to see Santa Clause at his summer home in Wilmington New York.  He is swimming a lot also in

the pool with his life jacket and loves it. He is down to once a day Lasix and tolerating it very well,

otherwise he continues on his Sildenafil three times a day and Aldactone, Aspirin and Amoxicillin in

the mornings. 

He turned 4 on Monday, August 6^th and we celebrated with a quiet lunch with his godmother

Corrine,  his brothers and I. I feel blessed to have reached another great milestone in his precious

life, what an amazing gift from God he has been!

We also met Governor Malloy on July 20^th for a Ceremonial Signing of SB 56 also to be known as

“Matthew and Faith’s Law”, it was signed into law on May 8th. It was bittersweet since Faith was

only there in spirit but we feel good about doing good in memory of her. Her parents Erica and Billy

were there as was her little sister Hope.

We are also full steam ahead on our next fundraiser “Matthew’s Hearts of Hope Second Annual

Giving From the Heart Gala” on September 15^th at Anthony’s Lake Club in Danbury where we

are honoring State Senator Michael McLachlan, State Representative Richard Smith, Robert

Miller of the News Times, Yvonne Nava of NBC Connecticut  for their efforts with “Matthew

and Faith’s Law”. We are also honoring local physicians Dr. Kevin Ferguson and Dr. Richard

Berning for their efforts in helping with “Matthew and Faith’s Law”. Also on the honoree list

are Roy Young, Fairfield Processing, The Sherman School, Sue Peet, Drew Sauer, PC Guys and

Lorraine Hamel for all their help with Matthew’s Hearts of Hope and The Hug a Heart Pillow

Project. The tickets are $50 each and are available on the website, see the link on the

homepage.

I look forward to seeing a lot of you at the Gala and as always, thank you for your support and

prayers.

 

 

 

 

The Boys with Santa Clause at his summer home in Wilmington New York.

 



Governor Malloy on July 20^th for a Ceremonial Signing of SB 56

 

 

Matthew continues to do great! He is still taking 8 doses of medicine a day but his Lasix is

decreased to 0.8 ccs twice a day and he has tolerated that well! He has also started to play soccer

with his brothers and loves it!

 

Senate Bill 56 has made great progress also. On March 7^th Matthew and I along with some friends

went to Hartford to share testimony at the Public Health Committee Hearing on why we think

Senate Bill 56 is so important and to ask everyone to support it!  They heard us loud and clear, on

March 9^th they voted unanimously and SB 56 passed The Public Health Committee and the bill

headed to the Senate. On April 18^th, Senator Michael McLachlan and Senator Terry Gerratana did

a great job speaking about the importance of SB 56 and it was placed on the consent calendar

meaning it was voted again unanimously out of the Senate. And so onto the House of

Representatives and again it was voted unanimously out of the House and now onto Governor

Malloy’s Desk who we anticipate he will sign it into law very soon!

 

We are also in the final stages of filing our paperwork to become an official Non for Profit

Organization, thank you Bernadette and Amy for all your help! Thank you to the Kids Care Club of

New Fairfield and Paula Flower for making 40 heart pillows on April 12^th, you did a great job!

Thank you also to Representative Richard Smith for stopping by to show your support!

We have made our first delivery of heart pillows to Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital Cardiac

ICU on March 19^th and they were very well received! The children love them, see pictures below!

Thank you as always for all your prayers and support, I am feeling very blessed indeed as

Mother’s Day approachs this year, I have a lot to be thankful for!

 

See Below an update from Senator Michael McLachlan a great voice on this important piece of legislation in Hartford for us.

Sen. McLachlan Applauds Infant Heart Screening Measure’s Passage; Sherman Resident Has Pushed for Measure

 

 

 

Senator Michael Mc Lachlan at the Public Health Committee Hearing on March 7th!
Left to Right: Billy Venezia holding a picture of Faith, Erica Venezia holding Hope, Faith's little sister, Olwen Gurry, Sean Pietras, Senator Michael McLachlan, Matthew Hatcher, Marie Hatcher, Dr Richard Berning.

 

2 photos from the Heart Pillow Delivery on March 19th 2012! Above Girl PillowBelow Boy pillow