Courage Classic 2025!
Hi all! It's Courage Classic time again, and this year I'm riding in honor of Banks, a brave heart warrior who will turn three on June 22nd. She was born with a rare congenital heart defect called Double Inlet Left Ventricle and has been fighting since day one. She’s undergone two of the three life-saving palliative heart surgeries—her first, the Norwood, at just six days old, and her second, the Glenn procedure, at four months old. This July 18th, she’ll face her third and final planned surgery, the Fontan, at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Her family shares: "Banks is truly the strongest little girl we know. She’s full of spunk, joy, and resilience. We are so close to completing this difficult three-stage journey, and we can’t wait to see her thrive on the other side."
Please join me in keeping sweet Banks in your thoughts and prayers—for a joyful third birthday and a safe, smooth Fontan surgery. While I haven’t had the personal honor of caring for Banks, I’ve been privileged to care for many brave cardiac warriors during my 12 years as a nurse at Children’s. These incredible “Cardiac Kids” hold a very special place in my heart.
As always, I'll also ride in deep gratitude for the exceptional cardiac specialists and Heart Institute nurses who cared for our own daughter, Whitney, and our entire family during a harrowing few years. At age 3, she developed viral myocarditis from an H1N1 infection which resulted in a serious heart rhythm disorder (incessant ectopic atrial tachycardia). Her journey to a full recovery at age 6 required numerous hospitalizations and three specialized heart procedures.
One in four babies with critical congenital heart defects won’t see their first birthday. That’s why continued support for our Heart Institute is vital—to advance research and lifesaving care. Please consider donating to support my ride and our essential fundraising efforts. Your tax-deductible gift directly benefits children at the region’s only nonprofit pediatric hospital.
Thank you,
Kari
