Matthew's Hearts of Hope

September 2016 - Reflections of Summer & Looking Ahead

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Reflections of Summer & Looking Ahead

It has been a while since you have heard from us and with good reason. We had a great summer with lots of quality time with friends and family from Ireland making some great memories. This was important for us as a family and especially for Matthew. We visited Cape Cod, spent time on it’s beautiful beaches and went on a whale watch (I would highly recommend this). Matthew also took swim lessons and really improved. He participated in a soccer camp with his brothers and loved it.

Matthew also turned 8 years old on August 6th which, as many parents who have children with CHD know, is always a bitter sweet experience - sweet with celebration and bitter in that sometimes getting to that next year is so difficult and challenging for these children.

As many of you remember, this summer is a stark contrast to most of last year when we were very worried about Matthew and we were very unsure about his future. It was just last April 2015 when we were being encouraged to consider putting Matthew on the Heart Transplant List!

Flash to today where Matthew has all but stopped his vest treatments and nebulizers and is doing great. He is still on the inhaler Q-Var twice a day with all his other Cardiac Meds. We saw his cardiologist in early August and he continues to have a small leak in his Tricuspid Valve as well as a new small leak in his Aortic Valve. There are no words.

This past weekend, Matthew played in his first soccer game. He has patiently been watching his brothers waiting for his turn for years and he did not disappoint. He ran and sweated with his team mates and they all played hard with a lot of heart, no pun intended! So, as I said, what a difference a year makes! God is good!

As Matthew starts 2nd grade, we are excited to face whatever might come our way in the coming year. And we thank everyone for their support and think and pray about all of the CHD Warriors out there just trying to get through that next year, to that next birthday.

Thank you for your continued support, stay tuned for more details about our upcoming Gala on November 5th at Anthony’s Lake Club.

Thanks,
Marie

Here is an update on a project Matthew's Hearts of Hope
helped to fund earlier this year. So cool!!

Umbilical Cords Used in Heart Surgery!

“The Art of The Heart”, a movie about CHD featuring Matthew won a special “Courage Award” at The Revolution Me Film Festival in Brooklyn.
So proud of Drew Sauer and his team for the amazing job they did.

So proud of Dylan Shyland as he received his Eagle Scout Award in August based on the 5K Run he organized in honor of Matthew's Hearts of Hope. Thank you Dylan!

Please mark your calendars!
MATTHEW'S HEARTS OF HOPE
'GIVING FROM THE HEART" GALA
NOVEMBER 5TH AT ANTHONY'S LAKE CLUB!
Tickets on sale soon!!!

Currently, 3-D hearts are not funded by insurance. Please make a donation today to help defray the costs of producing these hearts that are changing the way CHD is being treated and the lives of our CHD warriors and their families!!! CLICK HERE TO DONATE!

www.matthewsheartsofhope.org

Copyright © 2014 , All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:mhatcher@matthewsheartsofhope.org

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May 2016 - Mother's Day Reflections

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Post Mother's Day Musings

We hope everyone enjoyed Mother's Day yesterday. I will see my Mother this week as I travel back to Ireland and I can say that I am so grateful that she raised me to be a strong woman of faith and it is one of her greatest gifts to me! It is what helps me through the toughest days of being a Mom of a CHD Warrior. As well, I have a special spot in my heart for my fellow CHD Moms, those Mom's who have warriors still fighting to live as full and joyful lives as possible and also to those who have lost their children to this horrible disease! May you know how blessed you are to have these special children in your life or watching over you from Heaven!

We have had a busy two months here at Matthew's Hearts of Hope.

In March, MHOH visited MSCHONY with Dylan Shiland and his Mom Alicia to culminate his Eagle Scout Project started last year with the 5K run he organized and coordinated. All of the proceeds funded several 3-D hearts and some care packages for families who are in the hospital. Click HERE for the full story.

We also completed a pillow project at Washington Elementary School where the children stuffed 200 pillows and received help from the ladies at The Senior Center with the sewing of them all. A great day was had by all!

A special thank you to Dale Krier who recently held a Rabies Clinic in Sherman, and donated all the proceeds to MHOH. Afterwards she made an emergency call to a couple in Greenwich, to help euthanize their dog. After sharing some information with them about our foundation, the couple mailed a very generous donation to Dale a few days later. Thank you Dale for sharing our story. We get to do what we do because of people like you! The day before the check arrived, we committed to funding three 3-D Hearts at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York to help three children with complex CHD surgeries coming up this summer. I’m always amazed how things work out, God is good!

As a family we took some time to enjoy Spring Break in Florida, we really enjoyed making some memories together.

We are working on revamping our website, stay tuned.

Also the documentary “The Art of The Heart” is coming very soon.

Lastly today I leave to visit my family in Ireland. It has been three and a half years since I last went home. I am looking forward to celebrating a friend’s wedding, visiting with my three brothers, their significant others and their children and most of all just seeing my parents and spending some quality time with them! I am nervous to leave Matthew but I also know that he is surrounded by great people every day at The Sherman School and that Mike will do a great job. I am very thankful to him for encouraging me to take this trip.

Thank you as always for all your prayers and support!

www.matthewsheartsofhope.org

Copyright © 2014 , All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:mhatcher@matthewsheartsofhope.org

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March 2016 - Danbury Titans Hockey Partner Up with MHOH for Pillow Project & Hockey Game

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Danbury Titans Hockey Partner Up with MHOH for Pillow Project & Hockey Game

On Tuesday, February 23 rd The Sherman School participated in Matthew’s Hearts of Hope Fifth Annual “Hug a Heart “pillow project. The children stuffed a total of 353 heart pillows, all going to children who have to undergo open heart surgery at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York, where one of their colleagues in First Grade, Matthew Hatcher has had four open heart surgeries. Sherman Selectman Clay Cope was in attendance on Tuesday morning at the start of their busy day of filling the pillows!

Also in attendance were four Quinnipiac University students including Sherman School Graduate Andrew Sauer who is directing a documentary on the life of Matthew Hatcher and other CHD Warriors called “The Art of the Heart” as his senior project, being released in May. We were also fortunate to have a visit from two Danbury Titan Players Matt Caranci and Kory Helowka. All in all it was a special day that will ultimately bring comfort to sick children. A thank you goes out to Fairfield Processing of Danbury who donate all the Polyfill, Clothing Labels4u, a Florida company who donated 2000 tags at a discount and also JoAnn Fabric who sells us the fabric at 50% off and lastly One Stop Cleaners in New Fairfield who donate the bags that the Hug a Heart Pillows are delivered in.

Thank you to all who participated, it is a special project close to my heart and Matthew’s half a heart! It is a labor of love for sure! You are all making a difference in the lives of children who can use these heart pillows to hug, that have been stuffed full with polyfill, love and a few ounces of hope!!