09/07/2024
Sloan and Scarlett were both born with congenital heart defects. 1-year-old Scarlett’s CHDs are correcting themselves, but Sloan’s were more serious. She was born with tetralogy of Fallot, caused by a combination of four heart defects and had surgery when she was just weeks old. One day, the energetic preschooler will need another surgery, and she will always be under the care of a cardiologist.
Sloan and Scarlett’s parents, Alora and Taylor, knew nothing about CHDs when Sloan was born. Alora reached out to other moms for support.
“You feel so alone,” she said. “Nobody in my family or any of our friends knew what a congenital heart defect was. It was scary. I did research and found out it’s the No. 1 birth defect. Every 15 minutes, a baby is born with a congenital heart defect. You read that and think, ‘How do people not know about this?’”
Becoming informed about CHD buoyed Alora and her determination to help others. She began volunteering for The Children's Heart Foundation, which works together with the American Heart Association to raise awareness and fund CHD research.
When the family moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, she brought the Congenital Heart Walk to the city.
“We’re growing every year and I love it,” she said. “Moms here are extremely happy to be part of it. I want parents who are going through this to know that you are not alone. There is a support system here for you and there is a light at the end of your tunnel.”
