Emery Funkhouser was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a congenital heart defect, that required open heart surgery when she was 7 days old and another open heart surgery at 4 months. A few months before she turned 2 she received a heart transplant. While transplant is not a cure she did have significantly improved health for 5 years. The greatest risk with a transplant is organ rejection. Unfortunately, Emery went into rejection last summer and the damage the rejection caused to her heart ultimately caused her death in September. She had just turned 7. Emery’s story, her strength & courage have touched so many people. We want to continue her legacy and the power she had to touch people so that we may help others.
Our initial goal is to raise money and donate it directly to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Sibley Heart Center. The money raised will help other families that have to support their children through long hospital stays by providing meals and improved amenities for families who are living in the hospital with their children. We will also support research that helps prevent & treat congenital heart defects as well as better treatment for people living with a transplant and who may experience rejection.
