"Friends 4 Heart," a non-profit charity organization, was established in celebration of Jake Price, a Flower Mound, Texas boy who is living with the affects of a congenital heart defect. Jake is currently nine years old. But at the tender age of two days, Jake was diagnosed with coarctation of the aorta - a pinch or narrowing of the aorta (the large blood vessel that branches off the heart and delivers oxygen-rich blood to the body), and stenosis of two major heart valves - the narrowing of heart valves which obstruct blood flow from the heart. Since coarctation of the aorta causes the heart to pump harder in order to force blood through the narrow part of the aorta, the tiny baby boy underwent a four hour surgery to repair the condition. While he is doing fine today, it is understood that Jake may eventually need to have another heart surgery in the future to repair or replace the two narrowed heart valves.
About Us
Who Were Are...
To honor Jake and his courage, "Friends 4 Heart" was formed with the mission to raise funds to benefit the research of, treatment of and support of children with congenital heart defects. The desire is to help change children’s lives.
Congenital Heart Defect Facts: Approximately 1 million Americans have a Congenital Heart Defect (CHD). CHDs generally begin before birth, with coarctation of the aorta accounting for 5 - 10% of all CHD cases (mayoclinic.com). According to the American Heart Association, about 40,000 infants (1 out of 125) are born with heart defects each year in the United States, with at least one-half million children having some form of cardiac problem. There are 35 known congenital heart defects.