Chicago Congenital Heart Walk

Thank you for visiting my fundraising page for the The Chicago Congenital Heart Walk! This walk is important to me and my family because we believe in the mission of The Children's Heart Foundation to make the lives better for children born with a heart defect. I have walked in the Chicago Congenital Heart Walk both with Omar and without him here on Earth. I continue to support the Children's Heart Foundation in honor of my boy, Omar David Spitz.

Omar’s Story

Omar was an AMAZING 4 year old boy that lived a short yet FULL life. He was sweet, sometimes grumpy, persistent, easy to love, silly, playful, and courageous. Omar loved fire trucks, Paw Patrols, garbage trucks, fishing, Dunkin Donuts, playing with his sisters, and driving around his neighborhood, on any one of his 3 Power Wheels! He wanted to be a Firefighter but his true passion was cars.

Before Omar was born, he was diagnosed with a serious congenital heart defect (CHD) called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). 1 out of 100 babies born have a congenital heart defect and 1 out of 3,841 babies are born with HLHS every year in the United States. Omar was born with a Left Ventricle that was underdeveloped and not able to do its job, which is to pump oxygenated blood to the body. Some people describe this condition as having half of a heart. In order for Omar to survive, he had to undergo 3 open heart surgeries, all between a few days old to about 4 years old, with an almost indefinite possibility of a heart transplant in his future.

Omar had his 3rd open heart surgery on October 12th, 2021 and devastatingly, did not survive the complications after this surgery and we said goodbye, for now, to our beautiful boy on October 29th, 2021. Throughout his life, Omar braved many doctor appointments, procedures, and surgeries. Despite everything he weathered, Omar LIVED his life to the FULLEST and was LOVED immensely by so many people!

#OMARSARMY

My commitment to making a difference has led me to participate in the Congenital Heart Walk, an event that carries immense significance for me. It's not just a walk; it's a stride toward changing lives. This endeavor is all about supporting The Children's Heart Foundation and their crucial mission - advancing the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of congenital heart defects through groundbreaking research.

I warmly invite you to become a part of this significant journey by supporting my fundraising efforts. Together, we can raise the funds essential to drive forward life-saving research. Your contribution holds immeasurable value to me.

Thank you for your generosity, and for standing beside me in this mission. Your support means the world.

Love, Morgan ( Omar's Mommy)