Hello! Thank you for visiting my donation link!
For those of you who may not know, I am a nurse in the Heart Institute both in the CPCU and, most recently, the CICU at Children's Hospital Colorado (CHCO). I have had the opportunity to take care of many sweet kids with congenital heart defects who come to CHCO for surgeries, transplants, and continuing care to create the best quality of life for these kids.
This year, I am riding for one of the patients who I have had the opportunity to care for early last year, Struen!
Struen was born with undiagnosed Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, ASD, VSD, PAPVR, and tricuspid valve regurgitation. After three long open heart surgeries in her first 18 months of life, Struen suddenly went into heart failure. Little did we know that this diagnosis would kick off a very long year and 381 days of waiting in the hospital for her new heart hero to arrive. On July 4, 2025, the call came and only 11 short days later, Struen was on her way to being discharged for the first time in almost 400 days from Children's Hospital Colorado!
Today, Struen is living a normal toddler life and will be able to attend preschool beginning in the fall of 2026.
I had the opportunity to care for Struen during her very long wait for a heart as well as post transplant. Getting to see first hand the growth she had during her stay as well as see her thrive post transplant is the greatest gift.
Your donation directly supports the work we do here at Children's Hospital Colorado and allows for continued research and provides advanced care, equipment, and family support that patients like Struen depend on throughout their journey.
If you are able, I would be greatly appreciative if you considered donating to my goal of $1000 this year. If donating isn't possible, please consider sharing this page to your friends and family to support care for kids like Struen.
Thank you for being a part of this journey and for supporting the children and families who inspire it!
Thank you,
Max Smith
