Why I ride

It is that time of year again, and after riding for six years for Ashley, our daughter - she told us it is time for us to share the wealth and ride in honor of another heart warrior from The Cardiac Unit. I am happy to say I took her advice and I have been given the opportunity to ride for Heart Warrior Grace. From the moment I saw her picture and heard her story I fell in love with the tenacity and spirt of this little 4 year old princess and I know you all will love her too. So many similariities to Ashley's story, for Grace's fight, desire to live life to the fullest and dance, swim and just be a normal kid despite the many surgeries and unexpected surprises with her health.

Grace's story started at her 20 weeks in utero ultrasound where it was discovered her heart was not developing properly. She was closely monitored and born at Children's Hospital where she had her first heart surgery at 3 days old. At that surgery they learned she had pulmonary atresia with VSD and required cath procedures at age 1 and 2. Last August she learned she needed to have another open heart surgery to repair the conduit that was installed on day 3 of her life. After a long recovery time in the hospital - Grace is now living life to the fullest even with CHD - Congenital Heart Disease. Thanks to the wonderful work at Children's Hospital of Denver and the Cardiac Heart Institue at Children's, Grace is able to live life as a thriving 4 year princess.

Please consider donating to my ride to support the Cardiac Heart Institute so Children's Hospital can continue to supply great medical care to children like Grace and Ashley. Any dollar amount will help as the funds donated to my page go directly to the Cardiac unit in Denver. Thank you for considering, and if your travels bring you to Copper Mountain the weekend of July 20-21, I would love the extra cheer support to make those mountain climbs, and love to get together after the ride.

A little about my team...

For the past 14 years, the Cardiac Climbers have been raising money for the Heart Institute to help our amazing patients and their families. We have raised a total of over $1.3 million since our team was started.  All of the money we raise goes directly back to the Heart Institute for state of the art equipment, research and education, and family assistance.

Grace and Ashley will not be the last children to face a life-threatening illness, and our families will not be the last to navigate a frightening diagnosis. The Courage Classic is both a personal challenge and an opportunity to support positive outcomes for kids and families who need Children's Colorado.

Thank you so much for helping out with what you can,

 Jolene