We celebrate the anniversaries of all kinds of events: births, weddings, adopting a pet. Many are beginning to celebrate the anniversaries of significant health events as well like the date one is proclaimed “cancer free”. I am excited to partner with Big Dot of Happiness to share how their products can help you celebrate someone’s Heartiversary.
What is a Heartiversary?
Good question! A Heartiversary is a way to celebrate someone special in your life who has overcome a CHD (Congenital Heart Defect) and is commemorating the miracle! For many people, that event is the beginning of a new life for them and is something they would like to celebrate with friends and family.
A little background:
If you’ve been a long time Wisconsin Mommy reader, you may remember a while back when I was talking about my Aunt Pat and a fundraiser that was being thrown for her. For those who are newer, here’s a quick recap.
My Aunt Pat was born with a hole in her heart. There were not a lot of treatments back then and after she turned 19, she had a very new and groundbreaking surgery (she was only the 9th to have it done) to repair the hole.
Pat was able to lead a normal life, married a Navy sailor, moved across the country and had two daughters. In 1999, she noticed that she was having difficulty breathing on her daily walk and went in for a checkup. It was determined that she needed a double bypass and a pulmonic valve. She recovered quickly from the surgery and resumed her active life.
In 2007, Pat began noticing new symptoms including fluid build up. It was determined that the only treatment was a heart transplant. Due to some medical hurdles (one being a case of appendicitis that resulted in a ruptured appendix), Pat was not put onto the transplant list until May 0f 2008.
Thanks to the generosity of another family going through one of the toughest journeys they will ever face, Pat received a new heart on October 8, 2008. That is Pat’s Heartiversary.
Some Things to Keep in Mind When Planning a Heartiversary:
Planning a Heartiversary celebration is a great way to honor a very important event. Whether you make your Heartiversary celebration a big get together with lots of friends and family or a small, immediate family-only dinner, here are some things to consider while planning.
Decorate Your Space
Just as you would decorate for a 50th anniversary party or someone’s birthday, make the event festive with Heartiversary decorations. Wondering where you would find such a thing? Big Dot of Happiness has got you covered!! They have everything from wine bottle labels, banners, coasters, giant cards, photo booth props, signs and so much more. You can really go to town decorating and showing your support for the person celebrating their Heartiversary. Place your order online and your decorations will be swiftly delivered to your doorstep!
Offer a Variety of Beverages
While this should definitely be a celebration, keep in mind that your celebrant may be on some special medications. Offer a variety of fun beverages that still allow you to take advantage of Big Dot of Happiness’ festive wine labels. Purchase some non-alcoholic wine, sparkling ciders or juices, or bubbly waters.
Provide Some Heart-Healthy Food Options
A celebration is always a great time for some fun splurges like sweets and cake, but also offer some heart-healthy options for people. Plates of fruit or vegetables offer heart health-conscious guests the option of lower-calorie snacking. Consider making a main dish with something like salmon or another heart-healthy option.
Consider Having Your Celebration Outside
Depending on what type of surgery and follow-up care your loved one has had, they may have special immune system concerns. While many transplant recipients can go back to a pretty normal life remarkably quickly, some do have to stay on anti-rejection drugs for quite a while afterward. These medications suppress the patient’s immune system and can require additional precautions when getting together with others. Having your celebration outside is a great way to ensure that people have plenty of room to comfortably distance.
No matter what type of Heartiversary celebration you throw, know that your support means the world to the person you are celebrating. Having an army of loved ones behind them is a magic sort of medicine all on its own. Plus, Big Dot of Happiness donates 10% of every Heartiversary sale to the Children’s Heart Foundation!
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