Morgan's parents thought she had the stomach flu when they took
her to the doctor. They were shocked to learn her organs were shutting down to
protect her heart. She was diagnosed with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (a
failing heart) and her condition degraded quickly with no warning.
After being admitted to Medical University of South Carolina
Children's Hospital and initial treatments proved futile, she was put on a
heart/lung bypass machine (ECMO). Within hours, doctors determined a heart
transplant was her only chance for survival. Until a heart became available
(typically a very long wait), Morgan was temporarily put on a Berlin Heart.
Unlike ECMO, the Berlin Heart let Morgan breathe on her own, eat and walk.
Soon Morgan was cruising around the hospital charming everyone
she encountered. After nearly six months of waiting, "Princess
Morgan's" heart finally arrived. By then she'd charmed the entire
community and everyone celebrated this little girl's new opportunity at life.
One of the only reasons Morgan survived is because of the ECMO
machine that was purchased from donations to the Children’s
Miracle Network Hospitals® which raises funds and awareness for 170
member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids
across the U.S. and Canada.
The donations stay local to
fund critical treatments and healthcare
services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Since
1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $4.7 billion,
most of it $1 at a time. Its various fundraising partners and programs
support the nonprofit's mission to save and improve the lives of as many
children as possible.
While shopping at Wal-Mart today I was
told of the commitment the associates and administration have made to the
Children’s Miracle Network. The donations are made into see-through bin designed
to be fun for children to deposit money. The money slides down a tube after it
is deposited and winds around to the bottom of the container like in the old
fashioned game of Mouse Trap.
Today’s gift was watching my money
slide through the donation tube, knowing that I was contributing to miracles
for children like Morgan.
In Giving,
Robin
Morgan
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