Heart to Heart with Anna

Heart to Heart with Anna

"Heart to Heart with Anna" is the only podcast devoted to the congenital heart defect (CHD) community. Our shows feature Survivors, family members, medical professionals, and others in the CHD community who wish to share their stories, expertise, and advice. This show is devoted to empowering, educating, and enriching the lives of members of the CHD community.

Episodes

December 5, 2023 33 mins
Imagine living in a family where sudden deaths were a tragic norm. That's the reality heart mom Jackie Renford faced before the fateful identification of Long Q-T Syndrome, a genetic heart condition, in her family. Her misdiagnosis and the subsequent loss of her son and daughter have inspired her to become an advocate for early detection and treatment of this life-threatening condition. Journey with us as she shares her family's he...
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How does a young child learn to fight, to survive, and even thrive when they're born battling a congenital heart defect? Join us as we journey through the inspiring life stories of Emily Falcon and Mabel, two extraordinary women who refused to let their heart conditions define them. Emily, born with the rare ALCAPA--Anomalous Origin of the Left Coronary Artery arising from the Pulmonary Artery, takes us through her harrowing experi...
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Have you ever considered how your lifestyle choices could be affecting your health? Ever wondered about the benefits of essential oils or how to improve your gut health? Then you're in the right place. In a riveting discourse with renowned Valerie Chavez, MD, and Ryan Hunter, we delve into the heart of Functional Medicine. Together, we unravel the mysteries behind this unique approach that goes beyond surface symptoms to identify t...
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October 4, 2023 47 mins
Have you ever wondered about the strength that it takes to parent a heart warrior child? What does the journey of raising a child with a congenital heart defect look like? Meet Alison and Brian Blankenship, parents to two children, one of whom is a heart warrior named Ian. Ian was born with a critical congenital heart defect, and his parents are here to share their intimate story of resilience.

This compelling episode takes you thro...
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Meet Cody Watkins, a beacon of resilience and health, who brushed against mortality when he discovered a congenital heart problem lurking beneath his ripped physique. Unaware of the ticking time bomb in his chest for 30 years, Cody offers a riveting recount of his journey within the world of bodybuilding, his shocking discovery, and how he's courageously navigating life post-heart surgery.

Cody's story takes an unexpected turn when...
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What if you could find a space to share your story, ask questions, and connect with others living with congenital heart conditions? Join me as I chat with Leigh Kamping-Carder, founder and writer of "The Heart Dialogues," a free newsletter that does just that. We discuss Leigh's own experience of living with tricuspid atresia, a single-ventricle defect, and her journey navigating two different approaches to cardiology - one in Cana...
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What was it like to give birth to a baby with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) in the 1990s? How would it feel like to watch that miracle child grow up to become a mother herself? What is it like to then see your daughter's daughter for the first time? Answers to those questions and many more will be answered in this Mother's Day Special Heart to Heart with Anna episode.

Meg Didier is a 30-year-old hHLHS survivor and a mother...
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What is myocardial bridging? Why might someone with myocardial bridging have a heart attack? What is The Heart Chamber?

Boots Knighton is a 45-year-old myocardial bridging survivor from Victor, Idaho, and an avid mountain biker. She suffered a heart attack while biking when she was in her 40s. To correct the myocardial bridging, she underwent open-heart surgery in 2021. Her experiences have inspired her to start a podcast, called “T...
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Dana Henning is mother to Evan Henning, who is a 12-year-old Heart Warrior born with a critical congenital heart defect. Evan has has multiple procedures and open-heart surgeries. His life is very full of therapy appointments, homeschool activities, and extra-curricular activities such as Special Olympics and track.

Dana is musically gifted. She is a former music teacher and choir director. These days she homeschools Evan and works ...
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Today's episode features Vicky Gooden, the author of My Wonder Line and the winner of the 2022 Baby Hearts Press People’s Choice Award. In this episode, we will hear about how Vicky came to write her book, what it meant to her to win the BHP People’s Choice Award, and what the future holds for this very special author and her book.

Vicky Gooden is a senior consumer marketing professional with a career spanning over 18 years. She spe...
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Welcome to the 4th and final Medical Monday mini-series episode of Heart to Heart with Anna for Heart Month, February 2023.

How can you do heart surgery through a hole in the groin? It seems like magic, but is it? What is a Maze Procedure? Why might someone need a pacemaker, even if they've had an ablation? How can heart valves be replaced via catheterization?

Tune in to hear certified, registered nurse anesthetist, Frank Jaworski,...
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February 26, 2023 29 mins
This is the final Heart Dad Sunday mini-series episode for Heart Month, February 2023. Frank Jaworski, Anna Jaworski's husband, and Heart Dad to a single ventricle heart warrior is back as the Guest Host. In this episode he interviews Dan Rodenbaugh.

Dan is father to Caylee Rodenbaugh, who was born on June 26, 2009, at St. Luke’s hospital in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Caylee is his fourth daughter, but the first one with a heart condit...
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February 25, 2023 49 mins
This is our final episode for our Saturday Success Stories mini-series for Heart Month, February 2023, and it's hard to imagine any greater success story than the 40 Heart Warriors who have come together to create an amazing anthology called The Heart of a Heart Warrior: Congenital Heart Defect Stories of Hope. This is the book that these Heart Warriors and their families and friends would have loved to have read to help them bette...
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February 24, 2023 3 mins
With congenital heart defects being the #1 birth defect around the globe, there are many people touched by this condition. At least 1% of the population is born with a heart defect. Many of them will be innocent murmurs that will close up on their own. But some people have more serious heart conditions.

In this special mini-series episode for Heart Month 2023, Anna asks her Listeners to identify some famous movies which depict someo...
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Welcome to the 4th CHD Spotlight episode for Heart Month 2023. Our Expert Guest is HUG MAB member, Chris Donald.

Chris Donald is a pediatric cardiology nurse and she was born with a complex congenital heart defect. Chris Donald also serves on the Hearts Unite the Globe Medical Board. Today's CHD Spotlight is on a type of heart defect commonly referred to as “TGA” or “TGV” -- transposition of the great arteries or transposition of th...
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February 22, 2023 26 mins
Here is another episode in our Wednesday Writer Chat series of “Heart to Heart with Anna.” This is a special mini-series produced for Heart Month, February 2023.

Today’s show is Beauty Queen Author and our Guest is Faith Brackett. We’ll start today’s program by learning a bit about Faith and her health condition in Segment 1. In the second segment, we’ll talk about how Faith came to write a book and in the final segment, we’ll talk ...
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February 21, 2023 30 mins
How can one mom make a difference when it comes to children born with special needs? What kind of comfort and support is available to children living with a range of illnesses and disabilities? How can you get involved in helping our most vulnerable children feel supported?

Lilac Lumpkin is a mom to angel Heart Warrior Jaxon, who was born with HLHS. Jaxon loved many things in his life: pizza, superheroes, mac & cheese, and his m...
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This is the 3rd episode in our Medical Monday mini-series for Heart Month, February 2023.

What pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon seemed "too Hollywood"? Why? What is cross circulation and what was this experimental technique the predecessor of?

This Medical Monday episode deals with an amazing experimental surgical technique developed by Dr. C. Walton Lillehei. Frank and Anna Jaworski talk about what they learned about this procedure ...
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Here is another Heart Dad Sunday episode for Heart Month, February 2023. Like the other two episodes, this episode also features Heart Dad Frank Jaworski as the Guest Host. Today's Guest is Carl Wolford.

Carl Wolford was born with total anomalous pulmonary venous return or TAPVR and had surgery by Dr. Denton Cooley at 4 months of age in January 1958 at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas. Carl was Dr. Cooley’s second success...
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February 18, 2023 28 mins
Why would a pair of teen sisters be interested in working with the American Heart Association? How can these sisters make a difference? How much money do these young ladies plan to raise and how can you get involved?

This is the 2nd Saturday Success Story in our Heart Month 2023 mini-series! This features two sisters who have been impacted by congenital heart defects. My Loyal Listeners will remember when I interviewed their mother,...
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