2017 Toy Drive

How you can help us give the sick kids at Valley Children's Hospital a good Christmas.

It's Never Just A Cold

Imagine you pick your kid up from school one day and they complain of not feeling well. By morning their suffering from a cold. Snotty nose, cough, fever, no appetite (maybe even some vomiting, and no energy at all. It's just a cold right? They'll be fine after it runs its course. But your kid is utterly miserably and therefor so are you watching them suffer. You think "ugh it's "Johnie's" fault my baby is sick! Why couldn't his mother of just kept him home!". Each day your kid wakes up they seem worse. You finally break down and take them to the doctor or urgent care because your doctors office is too busy to see them. You carry your lethargic baby into urgent care, check in and sit to wait to be called. Then look down and see your baby is turning blue. Short version, they rush your baby to ER as you follow behind. Doctors take lung X-rays and ultrasounds of your babies heart but suddenly there's no time to wait for results because your baby starts having seizures and their heart stops. They do all they can but they can't safe your baby. Your world stops. "But it was just a cold. Just a cold" you keep saying to yourself.

You might say that story is a bit far fetched. At one point in my life I was very young and very naive and I wouldn't have believed it either. But there's nothing far fetched about the story above because that's my story. That's how I lost my son. That's how so many other families have lost their children. Why? Because people won't stay home when they're sick. They won't keep their children home when they're sick. Its never "just a cold". Each body reacts differently to viruses. A healthy immune system can fight off a cold no problem. Others end up in the hospital or in ICU and even dead. What you think is "just a cold" could easily be RSV or another virus with similar symptoms. I lost my son a year ago because someone with "just a cold" wouldn't stay home. How would you feel if it was your baby? Look at their sweet faces and tell me how you'd feel if it was them? Please stay home if your sick. Keep your kids home if their sick. Wash and sanitize your hands regularly. Take your vitamins. Tell others to do the same.

Liam Michael Bryant 7/14/11-12/15/15 taken because he caught "just a cold".

Links to help you fight the germs:

RSV Symptoms and prevention

10 Tips to prevent a cold or flu

#childlossawareness #cdhawareness #stopspreadinggerms#itsneverjustacold #liammichaelbryant

Spreading Awareness at Liberty School Carnival

Last night we had the opportunity to share CDH awareness and child loss awareness with our community at Liberty school's fall carnival. We set up a table with lots of flyers:

*What is CDH?

*What it's like to have a child with CDH.

*Our Christmas drive for Children's hospital.

*Busines cards

*Information on Sent from Heaven

(Child loss)

*Information on Sent from Heaven's drive.

We handed out lots of flyers and business cards. We also got to talk to people about CDH, Liam and Sent from Heaven It was a blessing to be able to share so much awareness. Lots of people had never heard of what CDH was and we were more than happy to explain to them. Lots of kids were interested in learning as well. The older kids took quite an interest in earning what CDH was. I was surprised. Of course we had a huge pumpkin filled with candy for the children who walked by our booth. 

You can go to Sent from Heaven's blog or check out their facebook page. My friend Amanda Lamb and I have been working hard on getting Send from Heaven set up and doing all the legal paperwork to become a nonprofit. We provide specialized care packages to parents when they lose a child. Also our blog has online resources and we are adding more all the time.

Child Loss Awareness Month

October is child loss awareness month.

We would like to take this month to remember those CDHers who grew wings.

If you would like to share your story,

blog or facebook page,

please contact us so we can add you.

If you have any advice for those whose friend or family lost a child,

please message us.

Remembering all the CDHers that grew wings and the families who lost them.

facebook.com/shootingforliam

A few weeks ago a friend approached with a idea to start a nonprofit.

This nonprofit is to give care packages to parents when they lose a child.

We are also working on our blog to share other peoples stories of loss,

as well as other resources.

If you would like your story posted on our Sent from Heaven blog as well let us know.

Sent from Heaven is for all loss,

not just from CDH.

Also check out Sent from Heaven's facebook page.