Celebrating Family and 14 Years of Hope
On April 10th, we celebrated our 14th birthday. We are proud to have helped cardiac surgery and transplant patients and their families with emergency housing, food, and transportation support for the past 14 years.
We step in and aim to give hope to families by being there when they need us most, so they can focus on healing. We understand the necessity of having one's family close by for emotional support during and after surgery, which can help in recovery.
Harboring Hearts Founder, Michelle Javian, and cofounder, Yuki Kotani, saw this firsthand when interacting with families during their fathers’ heart surgery journeys. “They were living in the waiting rooms day in and day out, taking showers wherever and whenever they could, eating really unhealthy [food],” said Javian. “They were emotionally drained.”
Daquain and Family
A survey of 900 patients was highlighted in a March 2023 Wall Street Journal article. After being discharged from the hospital, “Patients with strong social support networks were less likely to report new functional limitations, experience chronic pain, and show symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety compared to those with weak social support networks. Patients with strong support networks were also more likely to have returned to work or school at the time of the survey.” Source: Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
This article emphasizes how vital the family unit and wider community are to a recovering patient. With the added strain of piling hospital bills post-surgery and continued day-to-day essentials –– food on the table, gas in the car –– the burdens our patients carry can be overwhelming.
We are grateful to continue to support cardiac surgery and transplant patients via our Emergency Fund so they can focus on recovery. This season, our Family Campaign kicks off on Mother’s Day, and through our patient's stories, you’ll learn that everyone’s heart journey comes with many twists and turns.
The Diaz Family
Our goal is to raise $25,000 through our Family Campaign which will support cardiac and transplant families with their basic needs of food, housing, and transportation through our Emergency Fund Program. To learn more or register as an ambassador, please visit our Team Fundraising Page.
Together, we’ll continue to give hope to hearts everywhere!
