Little Hearts Luncheon & Fashion Show
Joy instantly turned to disbelief when, very shortly after his birth, doctors informed Ryan and Amanda Blanchfield that their son Cash needed a heart transplant.
He was born with what the doctors said was one of the worst cases of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy they’d ever seen, and without a transplant, Cash’s lifespan would be but a matter of weeks.
At best. Fifty-one days later, a donor heart was found. While Cash’s recovery wouldn’t be an easy one, he did recover and today is what his parents describe as “a full-fledged two-yearold who keeps us on our toes.”
“He is our miracle,” they said.
The Blanchfields shared their story at the 33rd Little Hearts Luncheon & Fashion Show, a fundraiser chaired by Lyn Schaffer as a benefit for the Children’s Hospital Colorado Heart Institute.
“Infants, children and adolescents with all forms of congenital and acquired heart diseases come to our experts for treatment, which can be long, involved and taxing on patients and families,” Schaffer said.
The money raised at Little Hearts, she added, “will be used to help patients and their families with things like food, lodging, education and transportation -- anything to make their time with the Heart Institute a little less stressful.”
Ryan Blanchfield is a firefighter with the South Metro Fire Rescue Authority, and had to fight back tears as he expressed how grateful he was that his colleagues covered all of his shifts for the eight months that he needed to be at his son’s side, 24 hours a day.
South Metro is a 15-year supporter of Little Hearts, encouraging its firefighters to volunteer their time to walk the fashion runway with some of the young heart patients who modeled outfits from Dillard’s in the show.
Youngsters like 3-yearold Maxwell, also a transplant survivor; 7-year-old Izabella, who has been treated for cardiomyopathy and hopes to become a pediatric heart doctor when she grows up; and 4-year-old Maya, who loves to dance and has had surgery to correct a congenital heart defect.
Little Hearts also is a showcase for Prescription Pets, the carefully screened and trained therapy dogs that since 1984 have been a source of comfort to patients at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Ten Prescription Pets — Cormac, Gracie, Hathaway, Kayla, Kiddo, Lani, Emma, Karenin, Jaxon and Popeye — graced the runway this year.
Former Colorado First Lady Frances Owens was among the model escorts, walking with her daughter, Monica Owens Beauprez, and Monica’s year-old daughter, Sophia Frances.
Steve Edmonds, Drs. Michael Schaffer, Dunbar Ivy, Jim Jaggers, Max Mitchell and Fran Hickey also served as escorts.
The Anna and John J. Sie Foundation was the presenting sponsor for the noontime event held at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum.
In addition to enjoying lunch catered by Biscuits and Berries and the fashion show, the 400-plus guests applauded the recipients of two prestigious awards.
The Maxwell Doud Paws of Praise Award went to Julie Neva, the owner of Chewy’s Bonetique in Lowry Town Center, while Dr. Neil Wilson and John Macheras, a cardiac echo tech at Children’s, were given the Sam and Fern Primack Heart Who Cares Award.
Neva is a longtime donor to the Little Hearts event; she also makes a significant contribution to Wine & Wags, an annual event celebrating the Prescription Pets Program. Maxwell Doud, for whom the award is named, was a Prescription Pet until his passing and participated in several Little Hearts shows. His humans, Marilee and Ben Doud, presented the award to Neva.
Former U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez and his wife, Claudia, were among the guests, joining a crowd that also included Adrienne and Jack Fitzgibbons; Margot Gilbert Frank; Judy Mcneil; Jay and Kristina Davidson; Debbie Labrant Hartung; George and Gail Johnson; Edie Bell; Dr. Sara Mark; Laura Daily; Angie Gonzales; Vickie Dow; Bonnie Neiheisel; Susie Hummell; Cindi Burge and Kay Burke.