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Overton Woman Seeks Help In Pediatric Heart Disease Cause

	Carrie Beckstrand of Overton is seeking help in the fight against children’s heart disease.	Vernon Robison Moapa Valley Progress Carrie Beckstrand, a resident of Overton, is a woman with a mission; especially at this time of year. Beckstrand is a founding board member of a non-profit organization called the Children’s Heart Foundation. This organization will be holding its major fundraising event, the fifth annual “Walk With the Heart Of A Child” on Saturday, February 9. The 3K Walk event takes place inside the Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas. More than 1,000 people support the walk each year to help generate funds that allow the foundation to continue to expand its programs, Beckstrand said.
	“This is our one big community fundraiser that we hold each year,” Beckstrand said. “So we work really hard to get people involved and make it count.” The mission of the Children’s Heart Foundation is to improve the care and quality of life for children in Nevada who are born with, or develop, heart problems. It was founded in 2001 by a group of parents whose children had suffered, or were suffering, from childhood heart issues. These parents worked in partnership with two Las Vegas area pediatric cardiologists: Dr. Bill Evans and Dr. Gary Mayman to form the organization. Around that time, Carrie Beckstrand and her husband, Scott, were going through a difficult struggle with their five year old daughter Mikheala. Mikheala had a serious congenital heart disease. She died in 2001 because of the disease. It was a tremendously difficult time for her family, Carrie Beckstrand said. They were astonished, at the time, that there were no organizations in Nevada to offer support to families and children going through these difficult circumstances.
	Beckstrand pointed out that, though there are many organizations; such as the American Heart Association; that work toward general heart research, there are none that focus specifically on children’s heart disease. “The American Heart Association goes to all of the elementary schools every Spring with their ‘Jump Rope For The Heart’ fundraiser,” Beckstrand said. “But most people don’t realize that none of that money goes specifically to pediatric research. It all goes to adult heart issues.”	Heart Camp participants Kayla (left) and Christa (right) are pictured here with camp volunteer, Malia Beckstrand (center).
	But children’s heart disease is a big problem and merits more attention, Beckstrand explained. “There are more children who die each year from heart disease than from cancer,” she said. “There are even a handful of families right here in the Moapa Valley who are affected by this disease. So it does hit surprisingly close to home.” The Children’s Heart Foundation works in several areas to improve the lives of children with heart disease. The Foundation provides a summer camp experience for children with heart conditions. The camp is for kids 8 and up who are being treated by a cardiologist and, so, might not be able to participate in other camp environments. For the past five years, the camp has been held at a facility in Alamo, Nevada. It currently accomodates about 35 children each year. A group of nurses and paramedics are kept on hand throughout the time of the camp, and the doctors take turns being there, Beckstrand said. “It is a chance for the kids to get away, give each other support and have fun together for a few days,” Beckstrand said. The foundation’s mission is also to educate healthcare professionals and the general public on pediatric cardiology issues. The foundation holds an annual Pediatric Heart Conference, where the State’s medical community can come and be instructed on the history as well as recent advances in the field of pediatric cardiology. The foundation is also dedicated to lending support to families as they deal with the emotional and financial toll exacted by a child’s heart problems. Beckstrand pointed out that there are many expenses involved with pediatric heart disease that are not covered by insurance. “While the concerned mom and dad are sitting in the hospital with their child, they are not working,” Beckstrand said. “It can be a huge financial drain on the family’s budget.” The foundation, thus, seeks to offer support to families in this situation, she said. Beckstrand is, obviously, passionate about this cause. She is working to recruit people to help in the fundraising efforts. She would specifically like to see people from the Moapa Valley community participate. She recognizes, however, the inconvenience of traveling in to Las Vegas early on a Saturday to walk in the event. But there are other alternatives, she said. “I’d like to get a group of people to walk right here at home,” Beckstrand said. “They could walk around the high school or something. They don’t have to go into Vegas to participate in this event.” People interested in supporting the Children’s Heart Foundation can register on the internet at www.chfn.org. They can also phone (702) 967-3522 for sponsorship and team registration information. The walk begins at 8:30 a.m. with registration at 7:00 a.m. Fees are $20 for adults, $15 for virtual walkers, and $10 for students and seniors. Carrie Beckstrand can also be contacted for more detailed local information at 397-6039.