By | 18 Jun 2018

Colleen's Story Made A Difference

Advocating to make a difference for others.

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I gave birth to my second child, Samantha, in 1995. Days after being born Samantha was sent home from the hospital, her heart condition went undetected. Within a week of being home, Samantha showed signs of something very wrong. Samantha was born with a congenital heart defect, she would pass away 21 days after her birth.

In 1995, critical congenital heart defect screening for newborn infants, using a pulse oximetry test, was not required in New Hampshire. Having this test in place when Samantha was born would have allowed for prompt critical care and the possibility of a very different outcome. When NH Legislators considered a bill in 2012 to make this test a requirement for all hospitals and birthing centers, I shared my story with my lawmakers, in hopes they would pass the bill to save other families from such a heartbreaking loss. NH did pass the requirement, one of the first such laws in the country. As a You’re The Cure advocate our voices do get heard and we can make a difference in the lives of our families, friends, and neighbors.

Advocate Issue - CVD Prevention Advocate Issue - Access to Care Advocate Issue - Quality and Value of Care Advocate State - NH Advocate Issue - Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention

Showing 4 reactions

Nathan Thomas commented 2021-06-25 21:01:10 -0400
Thank you, Colleen, for sharing your story and your continuous advocacy.
Nathan Thomas commented 2018-07-20 22:40:19 -0400
Thank you Colleen for sharing your story and your advocacy.
Nancy Vaughan published this page in Advocate Stories Archive Holder 2018-06-18 14:04:10 -0400
Nancy Vaughan published this page in Advocate Stories Archive Holder 2017-09-14 19:35:44 -0400

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For good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, I hereby grant to the American Heart Association (“AHA”) and its successors and anyone authorized by it the following unrestricted rights and release, all of which may be exercised without geographical, time or other limitation: In regards to the submission of stories, video or digital recordings, whether of an audio or visual nature, and photographs (collectively “Submitted Material”) for use by the AHA, I hereby release the AHA from all liability, and make the following grants and representations in connection therewith:

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(b) All my right, title and interest in all negatives, tapes, transparencies, prints and reproductions of the Submitted Material, including all copyrights, the right to copyright the Submitted Material anywhere in the world and the right to obtain renewals thereof and the right to use, sell, lease or license any of the foregoing, it being understood that AHA shall have the right to cut, edit, alter, interpolate, repurpose and otherwise change the story and to divide the same into as many parts as they desire wherein each part or combination of parts of the presentation may be used alone or together.

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