Visiting St. Louis Children's Hospital

Heartbeat brings joy to parents of Coppell donor

Heartbeat brings joy to parents of Coppell donor

by GARY REAVES, WFAA
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 11:31 PM
Updated Tuesday, Sep 21 at 6:56 PM



CHANDLER, Arizona — It's sunrise over the Phoenix suburbs. Todd and Tara Storch are here to continue the mission that began in March, the day their 13-year-old daughter Taylor died in a Colorado ski accident.

It was then that the Storches decided to donate Taylor's organs.

Their daughter may be deceased, but her heart beats on in the Valley of the Sun.

"Excited is not the correct or right word," said Todd Storch when asked to describe his feelings before getting a chance to hear Taylor's heartbeat again.

This day has been on Tara's mind since day one (CONTINUE READING)

Child Inspires Mother and Grandma to Act

“Grateful for what they have experienced at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, mothers of two generations are making efforts to give back to the hospital.


1st Photo: Me, Rob Aronin, Dana Jewell, Averi Budde, Ryan and Stacee Budde.

Averi Budde, who was born a twin to Adison Budde May 25, 2007, was diagnosed with multiple heart defects.

Five days after her birth, she underwent her first open-heart surgery, which brought many ups and downs over the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, nurses of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at St. Louis Children’s took full care of the newly born baby to make sure her condition was stable.

Relieved by the dedicated nursing care Averi received during her treatment in the CICU at Children’s, Averi’s mother, Staci Budde, and grandmother, Vicki Isom, decided to “give back to the hospital” to show their gratitude.



2nd Photo Includes; Tim Feltes, Paul Checchia, Dana Jewell, Laura Fowler Watson, Pamela Lovell Piel, Charlotte Smock, Leonard Bailey, Paul Cardall, and others

After talking with CICU manager Jeff Atwood, Isom and Budde decided to create an educational scholarship that would benefit staff professionally and ultimately benefit patients.

The intention materialized in the Averi Budde Foundation, a non-profit organization formed by Isom and Budde to raise money to fund continuing education opportunities for the cardiac nurses.” (West End Word, Beijing Zhu – September 1, 2010)

As part of the Budde's efforts, St. Louis Children’s Hospital hosted the 1st Annual Cardiac Surgery in Children featuring some of the most well known figures in the past, present, and future of congenital heart disease. The speeches were inspiring.

Photo: Meeting a Legend in Pediatric Heart Transplant Surgery, Dr. Leonard Bailey

What a blessing it was for me to be introduced to such historical figures in congenital cardiology, like the following;

One of the kindest men Leonard Bailey, M.D., a gifted surgeon from Loma Linda Hospital, known for the 1984 revolutionary surgery when a baboon heart was transplanted into infant “Baby Fae”. He was called a mad scientist and animal rights activists were not happy, but his efforts led the way for infants to receive heart transplants.

Many of Doctor Bailey patients are now in their twenties and enjoying life. This wonderful man, a father figure to many, had many wonderful things to say about Donald Doty, the cardiovascular thoracic surgeon who operated on me several times. He knew George Veasy and many others who I know from being a patient at Primary Children’s Medical Center.

3rd Photo: Meeting Dr. Peter C. Laussen

Peter C. Laussen, Professor of Anaesthesia at the Harvard Medical School and Chief, Division of Cardiovascular Intensive Care. He discussed invasive monitoring in the cardiac intensive care unit. It was wonderful to hear his comments about my transplant surgeon at Primary Children’s Medical Center, A.K. Kaza who was chief resident of cardiovascular thoracic surgery at Boston Childrens.

There were many more wonderful speakers; Lee Feeter (President St. Louis Childrens), Paul Chechia, MD, Angela Sharkey, MD, Terry Foster, Rn, Joseph Billadello, MD, Timothy Feltes.

I was fortunate to share my story about growing up with CHD.

The highlight for me, in addition to meeting the doctors, was spending time with the many nurses and other staff who care for the children at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Nurses inspire me.

For me, meeting 2-year-old Averi Budde and her family was thrilling. Her father brought her to the event for a few minutes.

I was there when this adorable little girl walked into the Chase Plaza Hotel. I got on my knees to be down so we were eye level. Just above her little dress I pointed to the top edges of her scar, a result of heart surgery. I pointed to my own scar. She got closer and gave me a hug.

Photo: Playing the piano with Averi Budde, fellow cardiac kid

Averi Budde is the light that ignited the powerful event that brought together some of the finest people in the congenital heart world.

Medical personnel where inspired, enriched, educated, and motivated to make a difference in the lives of thousands of children who continue live with and adapt to congenital heart disease.

Learn more about The Averi Budde Foundation at St. Louis Children's Hospital

Music Thankyou

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Cardiac Surgery in Children's Conference

When Averi Budde was born in 2007 with congenital heart diesase her mother Staci and grandmother Vicki Isom were impressed by the dedicated nurses in the Cardiac intensive care unit.

As Averi recovered from a delicate open heart surgery the mother-daughter team decided to “give back to the hospital” to show their gratitude.

Together Staci and Vicki created the Averi Budde Foundation, a non-profit organization formed to raise money to fund continuing education opportunities for the cardiac nurses. (I love those cardiac nurses!!)

This Friday I have the fortunate opportunity to meet this wonderful family and all of their associates at the first annual St. Louis Children's Hospital Cardiac Surgery in Children Conference.

The all-day event is designed to educate and/or refresh the knowledge of health care professionals caring for patients undergoing cardiac surgical procedures.

I couldn't be more thrilled to be a small part of this inspiring and sold out event this Friday, September 17th, at the Chase Plaza Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri.

Accompanied me will be cellist Steven Sharp Nelson and guitarist Ryan Tilby of Stone Angel Music, Inc.

Walking for CHD

I awoke to a beautiful morning with deep blue skies. I hopped in my truck and headed south to Provo where a crowd of families were gathered in a park outside of Provo, Utah along the majestic Wasatch Mountains.

Intermountain Healing Hearts, a support group formed in September, 2007 for families of children or adults with congenital heart defects (CHD’s) and heart disease hosted their annual Heart Walk.

Along with grandparents, siblings, cousins, and friends, parents walked with their children a poignant 1 mile, some in strollers and on shoulders.

Later, monarch butterflies were released during a special ceremony by families who lost a child to CHD.

I'm continually inspired by the support and love families give one another. These experiences and challenges bind a family together that extends beyond this world.

Bottom Photo: I'm standing with members of Primary Children's Medical Center Cardiology Staff

Studio 5 Discussing CHD and Book

Promoting Congenital Heart Disease

Last year at this time I lay dying as a father in a children's hospital wondering if I'd be alive to enjoy my daughter's childhood. Within 7 days, on September 9th, two family's lives would forever change.

My donor would leave his family behind and I would return to my own within weeks.

PHOTO: Months before my heart transplant

The ironic circumstance continues to humble me each waking day as I think about the young man whose heart beats in my chest. I pray I may live worthy of his gift.

Thank God for organ donation. I feel a weight of responsibility. My desire is to uplift and inspire people before my new heart stops.

With renewed energy and a recent biopsy with perfect results, I am anxious to go on my book tour (listed below) to spread awareness of congenital heart disease.

My publisher Shadow Mountain and It's My Heart, a nationally organized CHD movement, have worked very hard to help me share my message of faith, hope, and optimism.

I'm hoping to see many of you during the tour at our events.

Those of you who would like to organize events in your own cities please let us know.

Overall, I am very appreciative of all my friends at the Organ Donation Services, Adult Congenital Heart Association, Intermountain Healing Hearts, Mended Little Hearts, Saving Tiny Hearts, and many more. These folks are doing wonderful things to help the approximately 1.8 million Americans with a congenital heart defect.

PHOTO: After my Heart Transplant

We are making wonderful progress and more children are growing up! We still have much to do.

I'm grateful to be a very small part of giant movement. Hopefully, Before My Heart Stops, can provide an intimate look into the life of one individual with a defective birth heart in need of a transplant.

The Book Tour: www.paulcardall.com/events
I needed a new heart just to keep up with this exciting schedule.