Stories of Impact
Real families. Real journeys. Real difference made possible through your support.
Behind every diagnosis is a family navigating uncertainty, strength, and hope. These stories reflect the real impact of the Beating Hearts Foundation — helping ease financial burdens, supporting critical care, and giving families the space to focus on what matters most: their child. Each journey is unique, but they are all connected by the same mission — to stand beside families when they need it most.
Meet Cade
“Meet our sweet miracle, Cade.
Cade’s coarctation of the aorta was first suspected at our 20-week anatomy scan. Due to his positioning during the scan, doctors believed it could simply be a shadow, but referred us to high-risk specialists for further imaging. The four weeks that followed were the longest of our lives.
At our first appointment with Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Cade was still in the same position, making it difficult to capture the cardiac images needed. Even so, he was growing beautifully — a wonderful sign. A few weeks later, at 28 weeks, we received news that his left ventricle appeared dilated, raising the possibility of coarctation as well as a ventricular septal defect (VSD).
We were monitored closely, but held onto hope that these findings would prove to be false positives once he arrived. Coarctation diagnosed in utero does carry a higher false-positive rate, and that gave us comfort.
At our 32-week echocardiogram, doctors confirmed that something was indeed present, though they couldn’t say for certain until after birth. They reassured us that while surgery might be needed down the road, his condition was not as severe as some heart defects.
Cade entered the world at 38 weeks and initially checked out beautifully. Doctors waited for his patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) to close naturally to confirm whether a true coarctation existed. Three days after birth, an echo confirmed he did have a severe coarctation, a VSD, and a bicuspid aortic valve. Cade underwent open-heart surgery at just nine days old. The team at Arnold Palmer Hospital was an absolute godsend, and we brought our sweet boy home only four days later.
His recovery has been remarkable. In December, he did require a cardiac catheterization with balloon angioplasty after scar tissue caused a re-coarctation. His most recent checkup, however, brought encouraging news — his repair is holding well, his VSD continues to close on its own, and his bicuspid valve will remain under ongoing monitoring.
We are deeply grateful to the donors and the Beating Hearts Foundation for easing our financial burdens during this journey. After reaching out to the Foundation, financial assistance was sent directly to Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando, Florida — allowing us to focus on what matters most during one of the most challenging seasons of our lives: our family.
With love and gratitude,
Cade’s Family
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Thank you so much for your generous gift. You are helping to make a meaningful difference to the cardiac children of Oklahoma.
With gratitude,
Harold Burkhart
Meet Parker
Born on December 11, 2023, in Tulsa, Parker Helmerich was diagnosed shortly after birth with critical pulmonary stenosis and cardiomyopathy — a severe congenital heart condition. Parker was transferred to Oklahoma Children’s OU Health in Oklahoma City, where he underwent multiple cardiac procedures and two open-heart surgeries.
On October 6, 2024, Parker received a life-saving heart transplant, becoming the first pediatric heart transplant recipient in Oklahoma in decades. Less than two months later, he was discharged home and just recently celebrated his one-year heart transplant anniversary. Today, Parker is thriving, and his journey continues to inspire hope across the state.