CHD awareness month!

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February is CHD awareness month.

CHD stands for Congenital Heart Defect. HLHS is rare, it "comprises 4-8% of all congenital heart defects. It occurs in up to four out of every 10,000 live births. HLHS appears slightly more often in boys than in girls. Beyond family history, there are no clear risk factors for it, and no known way to prevent it."

It's funny to think that with everything we've been through with Santiago, (two open heart surgeries, a total of 7 weeks at CHLA, 4 months on oxygen) we rarely think of him as different or as having a heart defect. We rarely think of "all he's been through!" He is SO normal (whatever that is?!). He is just a charming little guy who's almost two years old.

I love sharing his story and instilling hope in other families. Santi is proof that modern medicine is marvelous. He is proof that you can still be a regular kid, even with a rare CHD like HLHS.

Santi overload is coming! 28 days of Santiago Banks in honor of CHD awareness!