PR Elementary Students Raise Money & Awareness for American Heart Association

Hance School Nurse Terry Lea Wentz,CRNP, talks about Heart Health.

Pine-Richland lementary schools are raising not only money but awareness during its annual Jump Rope for Heart events.

At Hance Elementary School, students kicked off their program with a special visit from Eden Hall Upper Elementary fifth grader Bailey Heaton, who is a 2009-2010 Heart Ambassador.

Heaton was born at 35 weeks with Down Syndrome, a complete Aortic Valve Septal Heart Defect, and Duodenal Atresia. She had surgery to repair the duodenal atresia when she was just one day old. At 4 weeks, the doctors put a pulmonary artery band on her artery. At six months, Bailey had the first of two open heart surgeries. When she was 9-years-old, Bailey underwent her second open-heart surgery.  Miraculously, she was only in the hospital for two days after surgery.

Heaton’s family says she is full of life and energy. She likes to swims and rides horses and began playing softball this summer. 

Bailey talks to students about her experiences.

Heaton spoke to students on February 4 bout her experiences and thanked them for listening.

“Now, my heart is working fine,” Heaton said. “I’m so glad that my heart works. Thank you for listening to my story about my heart.”

Exquisite Bride in Richland Township donated a dress for Heaton to wear to the Heart Ball. She attended as a Heart Ambassador and was a guest speaker at the event on Feb. 20

Richland, Wexford and Eden Hall Upper Elementary schools are participating in the Jump Rope for Heart through the American Heart Association as well during February.

Bailey is shown with mom.

Students are collecting pledges, jumping ope and learning more about healthy hearts during their physical education classes. They’re learning that:

• Heart disease is the #1 killer of children under the age of 15 in the United States. Number one is accidental death.
  
• This generation is the first to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.
  
• Congenital cardiovascular defects are the most common cause of infant death from birth defects.