Huntington Beach

In august of 1998, my husband scott and I came to temple beth david on a Friday night and had our two daughters named. Mackenzie at the time was 3, and Hannah Rose was 7 months. At the time we were not yet members of the temple, yet the rabbi led the congregation in a pray of healing, as he touched our Hannah.

Hannah Rose, now a spunky and beautiful four-year-old, is a shining example of the power of hope, love and prayer. She was born with congenital heart disease. After her diagnosis, our family endured 7 months of hospitals, surgeries, and human kindness beyond words.

During that terrible time, I made an oath to G-d., that given the opportunity to know and raise our baby, to never forget the support and love received. It was not only a promise of remembering but also a vow to give back.

With the establishment of Hannah's Heart Foundation, and the help of friends, volunteers, and the community, the dream of giving back is now a reality. This year, our goal is to make "Care Containers" for parents who have children in the hospital. The containers are plastic boxes with lids. Each one contains items such as non perishable snacks, bottles of water, toothbrushes, toothpaste, gum, playing cards, and mints.

We bring these boxes to the ICU and give them to emotionally and physically exhausted parents. The contents are to nourish their bodies, the purpose is to lift their spirits with the knowledge that they are not alone, and we do care. I am not only giving back, I am teaching my daughters (we now have 3!) that our greatest give to others, is truly our greatest gift to ourselves.

If you would like to volunteer, donate, or simply learn more about Hannah's Heart, please visit our website at www.hannahsheart.org