Melanie Weiler

It’s that time of year again! Philly Spin-in. I am riding to raise funds/awareness for my third year to support the CHOP cardiac center, a place near and dear to my heart, one that has saved my daughter’s life.  

I still can’t believe my little heart warrior is TWO! It feels like only months ago we received the dreaded news that no family deserves to hear “your child has congenital heart disease.” This isn’t bringing my girl down! Bella is an inspiration to everyone she meets. She is witty, funny, sassy and everyday reminding me of the saying - “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” Her fight is strong and she is kicking CHD’s butt!! 

A little update on her status.. Bella is still on biannual cardiology visits. We were hoping she would be switched to yearly by now, but there are still a few areas of concern that the doctors would like to monitor a tad closer. That being said, her heart is working great and we are in an observation stage for now.

For those of you who don’t know, Bella will definitely require additional surgery to replace her now removed defective heart valve. And this is where my fundraising page comes into play. 

RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH

During Bella’s first OHS they were unable to place a new valve because, for now, they do not have a valve that size. When she does get a valve they will hopefully be able to place it via catheter rather than another OHS. This is a newer procedure that has become more prevalent with research. Maybe one day, they’ll be able to replace the valve during the first procedure! Maybe one day, they will have a cure for all CHD- one could only hope. 

This is why I NEED your help. No child deserves to go through life with CHD, but unfortunately this is not the reality. With our donations, CHOP can better understand the causes of pediatric heart disease, develop new treatments, improve long-term outcomes and offer new hope to families who need it most.

I truly mean this- no donation is too small, every bit counts!

Thank you for supporting our Bella girl and all children and families in the fight against CHD!

Ride for Breakthroughs for Little Hearts!

I am raising money to support innovative cardiac research for kids at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). With your help, we can better understand the causes of pediatric heart disease, develop new treatments, improve long-term outcomes and offer new hope to families who need it most.

Join the movement!

Why I Ride

• Little hearts need us:  The world slowed down, but parents are still hearing the words “your child has congenital heart disease.” Yet 1 in every 120 babies born in the United States are diagnosed with congenital heart disease.
• Together, we’ll create a breakthrough for every child: "The Philly-Spin-In not only inspires the Cardiac Center team to continue our pursuit of clinical excellence, but the funding the event generates also allows us to push new boundaries of research and patient care initiatives that help define the future of pediatric heart care." – Dr. Jonathan Chen

How You Can Help

By donating and helping us support little hearts through groundbreaking and innovative research and care here at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

“From the bottom of all the hearts we touch, from the bottom of all the hearts we work on, from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you.”
 — Stephanie Fuller, MD, Cardiothoracic Surgeon