Posted: Dec 4 2008, 01:39 PM
Empowering Families Of Children Who Need Heart-Related Surgery
Brian Littrell woke up in a hospital room ten years ago, and the first words he heard came from his surgeon: "Son, I don't know how you were running around onstage with that heart of yours." Littrell, a former member of the Backstreet Boys and now a solo act, had just undergone surgery to repair a small hole in his heart—a congenital defect diagnosed when he was 5. What he didn't know—and neither did his surgeon until Littrell was on the operating table—was that a second hole was hidden on the other side of his ticker. The surgeon closed it up. "I'm truly a walking miracle," says Littrell.
Littrell was 23 at the time of his surgery. The procedure and recovery put a big dent in his glamorous career. "My life was flourishing and moving at such a fast pace," he says. "When I heard I needed surgery, I was terrified. When your life is in someone else's hands, it's emotional." The experience inspired Littrell to start The Healthy Heart Club, a nonprofit that assists families whose children need heart-related surgery. The club's other goal is to educate families on the benefits of exercise and nutrition as part of a heart-healthy lifestyle.
For those families facing extended treatments at facilities away from home, Littrell's support is a huge blessing. Kris Foster of Lexington, KY, spent more than a month in Cleveland, OH, while her daughter, Julia, now 15, recovered from open heart surgery. The Healthy Heart Club contributed to the family's gas, food, and lodging. "We had the best care possible," says Foster. "We couldn't have afforded it without the Club."
"The more blessings you give out, the more you get back," says Littrell.
Source: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/index.jsp
Empowering Families Of Children Who Need Heart-Related Surgery
Brian Littrell woke up in a hospital room ten years ago, and the first words he heard came from his surgeon: "Son, I don't know how you were running around onstage with that heart of yours." Littrell, a former member of the Backstreet Boys and now a solo act, had just undergone surgery to repair a small hole in his heart—a congenital defect diagnosed when he was 5. What he didn't know—and neither did his surgeon until Littrell was on the operating table—was that a second hole was hidden on the other side of his ticker. The surgeon closed it up. "I'm truly a walking miracle," says Littrell.
Littrell was 23 at the time of his surgery. The procedure and recovery put a big dent in his glamorous career. "My life was flourishing and moving at such a fast pace," he says. "When I heard I needed surgery, I was terrified. When your life is in someone else's hands, it's emotional." The experience inspired Littrell to start The Healthy Heart Club, a nonprofit that assists families whose children need heart-related surgery. The club's other goal is to educate families on the benefits of exercise and nutrition as part of a heart-healthy lifestyle.
For those families facing extended treatments at facilities away from home, Littrell's support is a huge blessing. Kris Foster of Lexington, KY, spent more than a month in Cleveland, OH, while her daughter, Julia, now 15, recovered from open heart surgery. The Healthy Heart Club contributed to the family's gas, food, and lodging. "We had the best care possible," says Foster. "We couldn't have afforded it without the Club."
"The more blessings you give out, the more you get back," says Littrell.
Source: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/index.jsp
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