Forever a Heart Mom (Jacob's Legacy)

Camp LUCK (Lucky Unlimited Cardiac Kids) is a medically supervised summer camp for kids with heart conditions.  

My son Jacob was born with Congenital heart defects (CHD). Throughout his life he had the opportunity to attend Camp Taylor, a heart camp in California, both as a camper and a mentor.   He absolutely loved the camp and the bond he made with all his new friends with CHD. Out of this love for Camp Taylor, grew the idea to have a heart camp on the east coast.  Jacob’s cardiologist, Dr. Rene Herlong, had a similar vision and along with the love and support of Jay “Bird” Thompson and many others Camp Luck was born.

Congenital heart defects (CHD) are conditions present at birth that affect how a baby's heart is made and the way it works.  They are the most common type of birth defect and the leading cause of birth-defect related deaths in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control about 40,000 infants are born with a heart defect each year in our country. 

As medical care and treatments have advanced, infants with heart defects are much more likely to survive than they would have twenty years ago. Many now are living longer and healthier lives.  Despite the fact that CHD affects over a million families in the U.S., a relatively small amount of funding is currently available for support.

As these children survive and thrive, they are often faced with feeling different and "left out" at school and play due to the physical limitations associated with CHD.  These limitations are placed on them by physicians, parents and sometimes even themselves.  Along with the physical limitations many have surgical scars and pacemakers unlike their peers. Teachers, parents of non-heart kids, coaches, and even friends are often afraid of “heart kids”.   CHD children are faced not only with health challenges but with social challenges as well. They just want to fit in and be like everyone else.

At Camp LUCK they will “fit in” and not feel out of place or different.

Sadly, in December 2010 my 17yo son Jacob died from complications of open heart surgery to correct several of his congenital heart defects.  When Jacob didn't survive the surgery I was not sure what to do.  In my heart I knew Camp LUCK needed to go on because that is what Jacob would want. I feel with Jacob “forever in my heart”….wonderful things are bound to happen! Anyone that knew Jacob would describe him as a bundle of energy. I promise to use my “Jacob energy” for Camp LUCK because it is his legacy. 

My hope is for surviving children with CHDs to have ….THE BEST LIFE possible. Being born with a broken heart does not make you a broken person!