FEBRUARY 2021 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 23
PRESS BUSINESS
MENDED LITTLE HEARTS
FIXING DEFECTS WITH LOVE
BY MAIA VINES
Mended Little Hearts of Long Island
serves local communities by educating
and advocating for families of children
with congenital heart defects, the most
common birth defect in the country.
Approximately 25 percent of children
born with critical congenital heart
defects need surgical procedures to survive,
but many families are not aware
of this until after birth. Mended Little
Hearts was founded in 2004 to provide
national support as well as educational
services for these families. With more
than 300 local chapters nationwide,
the nonprofit also offers peer-to-peer
programs on a local level.
“We try to network families as best we
can but we also try to make sure that we
provide an outlet for our kids so they
can come together and see that ‘Hey,
I’m not the only person who has to go to
a special doctor for my heart’ or ‘Hey,
I’m not the only kid who maybe has a
scar down their chest,” said Shannan
Pearsall, lead coordinator for Mended
Little Hearts of LI.
Hospitals and doctors
of children in MLH’s
programs work closely
with the organization by
participating in fundraising
events, educational
forums and providing
resources. Every year, the
nonprofit hosts a holiday
drive to collect items like
toys, books and crafts for
New York-Presbyterian
Hospital in Manhattan.
In December, donations
were sent directly from
its Amazon wishlist to
the hospital, and hospital
staff informed families
about MLH’s services
during toy distribution.
Oftentimes the first connection
Two CHD warriors, Aidan and Clare, helping to gather and sort
toys for the Mended Little Hearts of Long Island Toy Drive.
a family will have with MLH
comes during a fetal diagnosis. Pearsall
learned about the organization after her
son, Aidan, was born without a fully
functioning heart.
“If I had the connection with this organization
and this network of amazing
families back then, the road would’ve
still been a challenging and really scary
one but it would’ve been one where I
felt uplifted because I
would’ve had that support,”
Pearsall said.
The organization’s
bravery bag program
supplies items to families
of hospitalized children
post-heart surgery.
These items include basic
necessities like dental
products, deodorant, and
lotion as well as tea, food,
books and information
about MLH. Hospitals,
local schools and other
chapter coordinators
normally contribute to
or host fundraisers for
the bravery bags.
“Creature comforts are
things that make a hospitalization,
whether it’s a
planned stay or unexpected stay, just a
little easier,” Pearsall said.
For more information, visit
longisland.mendedlittlehearts.net
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