Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone, I hope you had some time over the holidays to count your blessings like I

did! I stepped off the life train for a little while and it was great! With a little guy like Matthew in

your life, you learn to treasure the small things and quality time as a family is really important! We

had a lovely thanksgiving at my sister in law Marianne’s house. On Friday, December 13^th we drove 5

hours north to spend the weekend at Santa’s Workshop in Wilmington, New York. I felt like I was in a

magical snow globe for the weekend. We had a great time and made some memories that will last a

lifetime. Christmas and New Year’s flew by and last weekend I took the boys to Mount Snow in

Vermont to try some skiing, they loved it! Matthew did well in the cold as long as he was bundled up

and he managed to ski down some little bunny slopes very well!

The first few weeks of 2014 have been busy already with lots of things going on. First and foremost I

have been speaking to State Representative Joseph McNamara in Rhode Island about mandating

pulse oximetry screening on every newborn in his state. Secondly we are full steam ahead with our

“Hug a Heart” Pillow Projects at three locations, The Kid’s Care Club in New Fairfield on February 6^th,

The Sherman School on February 13^th and Academy of our Lady in Glen Rock, New Jersey sometime in

March. We anticipate over 500 pillows. We have also been approached by Heart Hero’s an

organization out of Omaha, Nebraska for two reasons, one they are featuring Matthew’s story on

their blog in February and secondly they are sending us 100 Heart Hero Capes to go with some of our

pillows thanks to Junkluggers, an organization in Fairfield, CT who are donating the funds to do that.

We are also partnering up with the Danbury Whalers and The Sound Tigers for two fundraisers. The

first one is with The Danbury Whalers on Sunday, March 2^nd at 5:00pm. The second one is with The

Sound Tigers on Sunday, March 30^th at 3:00pm. The proceeds from all the tickets that we sell will

come back to our organization. Tickets will be available for purchase on the website for both games

starting next week.

Lastly and most importantly I are proud to announce the recipients of the Matthew's Hearts

of Hope grants which will be going to physicians who are furthering Congenital Heart

Defect research.  Each recipient will be receiving a $5,000 grant.

Dr. Hannah Fraint - Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York

Dr. Joanne Chiu - Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York

Dr. Shaun Mohan - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Dr. Simon Lee - Mount Sinai Hospital, New York

Here is what one of the winning hospitals had to say about the impact that MHOH is having:

Marie,

Thank you so much for supporting such important research in CHD with Matthew’s

Hearts of Hope Research Grants and for founding the Matthew’s Hearts of Hope

organization!  We are honored to have one of our fellows be the recipient of one of the

grants (congratulations Joanne!)!!  We will certainly keep you posted on the findings of

Dr. Chiu’s research as the year goes by.  The grant money will certainly make a huge

difference in making ongoing study possible!

Thanks again!

We are making a difference for sure in big thanks to all your support, thank you from the

bottom of my heart and Matthew’s half a heart!

Michael, Ryan & Matthew visit with Santa at Santa’s Workshop in Wilmington, NY. They made it onto the good list this year!

2013

Giving from the Heart Gala

Our third Annual “Giving from The Heart Gala” was a tremendous success and we raised over

$33,000 for our great cause.

 

      Over 130 people came out to show their support for the amazing work that we have been doing!

The night kicked off with Celtic Cross Pipes and Drums and their powerful rendition of “Amazing

Grace”. Honorees for the evening included Bryce Schopfer and Bernadette Schopfer, Martha Osborn

and Cathy Davidson.

 

      One of the most moving parts of the evening occurred when guest of honor Kristine Brite Mc

Cormick (www.corasstory.com) shared her emotional story about her daughter Cora who only lived 5

days because of an undetected Congenital Heart Defect. Kristine was a strong advocate in her home

state of Indiana (Indiana was the first state to pass legislation mandating pulse oximetry screening)

and has been an amazing resource to advocates in many states including Matthew’s Hearts of Hope

in the states of Connecticut and New York.

Following Kristine, the audience had the great honor of hearing Michael Grabell’s story. As the

father to a baby boy born at Greenwich Hospital on July 10^th, Mr. Grabell’s son was diagnosed with

CHD using the now mandated Pulse Oximetry Screening, that was made law by the efforts of Senator

Michael Mc Lachlan and Matthew’s Hearts of Hope. Although Michael and his wife Laura live in New

York, they delivered at Greenwich Hospital where the screening law was in place! New York now has

a similar law which will be enacted starting January 2014. These laws save lives!! There are three

other babies that we know of in Connecticut that have been saved using mandated Pulse Oximetry

Screening.

 

      The audience also enjoyed emcee Joe Moravsky, Finalist in American Ninja warrior in Las Vegas

who did an amazing job at keeping the crowd engaged and entertained.

    

      A special thank you to everyone who supported our event, especially our Platinum Sponsors,

Masimo and Silver Heart Sponsors, Bank Street Theater and Westchester Modular Homes.

Thank you to all our donors and Friends to Matthew’s Hearts of Hope, your contributions are greatly

appreciated! Thank you also to our incredible fundraising committee, our success year after year is a

testament to all your hard work!

 

      We have started to receive some grant applications and the deadline of December 1^st is fast

approaching. Matthew also recently saw Dr. Snyder, his pulse oximetry reading was a little low 91%

to 92% so we did some bloodwork, a CBC and Liver Function Tests and all is the same as a year ago.

Two days later his pulse oximetry readings were back up to 94% to 95%. He’s just keeping me on my

toes!

      I have begun to reach out to Senator Benjamin Downing and Representative Denise Garlick in

Massachusetts to ensure that mandated pulse oximetry screening becomes a reality there. I am also

checking into Rhode Island. I will keep you all posted.

 

      Matthew’s Hearts of Hope is also the charity of choice for the Festival of Tables sponsored by the

Ladies Philoptochos Society at the Amber Room on November 9^th from 12:00 to 4:00pm. For more

information or tickets please contact Rose Koulouris at (203) 417 8450

 

As thanksgiving approaches I am always grateful for the many people who support us on our great

journey.  We are truly blessed, thank you from the bottom of my heart and Matthew’s half a heart!

Please feel proud of all that you are a part of, I know I do!!

 

The "Heart" of Matthew's Hearts of Hope

 

Kristine Brite Mc Cormick with Marie Hatcher

 

 

The simple test that saved my baby

A great article to read Titled "The simple test that saved my baby"