A big week

A crowdsourced roundup of events, fundraisers and plans for CHD Awareness Week. Plus, a milestone.

The AI that generated this image signed its name (?) in the corner.

I’m dropping into your inbox with an extra edition because this week is a big one, as far as heart stuff is concerned.

First, the anniversary of the first edition of this newsletter was on Monday. I didn’t know what would happen when I first hit that send button. Over 30 editions, thousands of readers and almost 700 subscribers later, a community has grown up around The Heart Dialogues. Thank you, as ever, to everyone who subscribed, read, shared, liked, commented on or emailed me about something in this newsletter. And a big thank you to all the people who’ve shared their stories and wisdom over the months.

If you’re reading this and haven’t signed up yet, here’s the button:

Second, and more importantly, today marks the start of Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week. Aside from being a mouthful to say (seriously, can we not find a catchier name?), it’s also a time of year when people raise extra awareness, money and support for the CHD community. It’s part of American Heart Month, which spans all of February.

Events run the gamut. The American Heart Association and the Children’s Heart Foundation will announce recipients of grants for work “to better understand, identify and treat CHDs.” One subscriber of this newsletter is hosting a silent auction of artworks in Los Lunas, N.M. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued a proclamation. And on Feb. 13, supporters will wear purple to promote the cause.

This is, obviously, not an exhaustive list of what’s happening. If you’re planning something for the week—a fundraising event, a fantastic purple outfit—let the rest of us know in the comments. Feel free to forward or share this with others who want to call out what they’re up to.

Happy (deep breath) Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week 2024! Let’s all support each other. ❤️