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     Jameson's Army is a non profit organization (501c3) dedicated to raising awareness and funding for children and families affected bycongenital heart defects (CHD) in the Pittsburgh, PA area. Jameson's Army was formed in honor of Jameson McKain, who was born with a heart condition known as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and received a heart transplant at 11 months old (pictured left). Currently, Jameson is 3 years old and thriving!

     

     Jameson's Army strives to help the families at The Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC (CHP), The Children's Home and Lemieux Foundation, Your Child's Place and many other medical facilities and families touched by CHD in the Pittsburgh, PA area. Jameson's Army holds quarterly fundraisers to help provide therapeutic heart pillows during recovery, quarterly holiday family and staff meals, toy drives, fulfilling family and hospital wish lists as well as our monthly food and items drops to the heart center at CHP.

     

     If you are interested in learning more about CHD, Jameson's Army or how you can help please feel free to contact us!

WELCOME!

WHAT IS JAMESON's ARMY?

     Jameson’s Army is a non-profit organization raising awareness on Congenital Heart Disease (CHD). It was started in 2012 by Co-Founders, Danielle and Patrik McKain. Their son, Jameson, has battled CHD for the past 36 months. It was during a routine ultrasound when the McKain’s learned that their unborn son was missing the left side of his heart and through the love and support of family and friends, an army was formed in honor of Jameson and those living with CHD. The focus of Jameson’s Army is to support children and families affected by CHD and those who support them. Some of the benefits provided by the money raised include care package drops to the heart center at Children’s Hospital and delivering cough pillows to comfort patients after surgery and help in their road to recovery.

Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) is just one of many heart diseases out there and is among one of the most common birth defects. CHD is a problem with the heart’s structure and function at birth. It can be detected during an ultrasound while a mother is pregnant with her unborn child. Having medical care ready during delivery can mean the difference between life and death for some babies. If a defect is found early, prior to birth, there may be a pediatric heart doctor, surgeon and/or other specialists on site to help in the delivery process. CHD affects approximately 9 in 1,000 births and can describe a number of different problems affecting the heart. CHD is often divided into two types: cyanotic (blue skin color caused by a lack of oxygen) and non-cyanotic. Some of the common cyanotic types include; Ebstein’s anomaly, Hypoplatic left heart, Pulmonary atresia, Tetralogy of Fallot, Total anomalous pulmonary venous return, Transposition of the great vessels, Tricuspid atresia and Truncus arteriosus. Some non-cyanotic types of CHD include; Aortic stenosis, Atrial septal defect (ASD), Atrioventricular canal, Coarctation of the aorta, Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), Pulmonic stenosis and Ventricular septal defect (VSD). These problems could occur alone or together.Often, no cause for the heart disease can be found. Congenital heart diseases continues to be investigated and researched. Sometimes medicine alone will treat CHD, whereas one or more heart surgeries may need to happen as part of the treatment process. Although CHD is present at birth. symptoms may not appear right away.
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