They say that February 14^th is a day dedicated to the heart and it really is, it is a day that celebrates the victims, the survivors, and those fighting Congenital Heart Disease. I was born with Congenital Heart Disease in 1995 and here I am today a 21 year old junior in college.More specifically I had ASD which is a hole in the heart that allows more blood out of the heart than necessary. I was one of the lucky ones, one of the few that actually survived after birth. Since I was 4 days old I have been in and out of hospitals, either for surgery or annual checkups. Many know what a cardiologist is, but many do not see one every two years. Since I was born I have been treated by an amazing cardiologist, he’s the reason that you are reading this article right now. Just to give you a little background, at four days old I had my first surgery after being labeled ‘the blue baby’ by medical professions. It was a miracle that I survived to celebrate my first birthday. After that I went on to have checkups every two years to ensure that I was developing correctly. When I reached fourth grade, researchers had created a device that was going to close the hole in my heart. The device was very much like an umbrella, you put the device in the heart, and then it opens, blocking liquid from entering or leaving the heart by way of the hole. Doctors were optimistic about this, but unfortunately the device did not hold up so we were back to waiting for something that was going to close the hole. After eight years of cardiologist appointments that started with an echo and ended with a ‘you’re perfect’, there was a solution that would make me whole. My senior year, there was a device that was going to close my heart back up, the Helix, which was in a spiral shape. This was it, my cardiologist was optimistic about it and he had every reason to be. On March 9^th 2014 that was it, the hole in my heart was no more. I still have occasional checkups, but my heart is pumping as it should now. I continue to live a normal life as an exercise science major and a runner whom is optimistic of her future. Why do I tell you this? Because my story is a success story, but that is not the case for everyone, many babies born with congenital heart disease do not live to see their 21^st birthdays let alone their 1^st birthdays. Because of the amazing medical staff that treated me I did live to see my 1^st birthday, my 21^st birthday and many more birthdays to come. I am blessed to have been treated by an amazing medical staff that was able to provide me with a long and happy life. I am hoping that together we can begin to raise awareness of Congenital Heart Disease for those that never got to take their first steps and that will never get to take a shot. Because I am alive today I will fight for those that lose their lives to this disease because I am one of the few that get this chance. I will fight for a treatment so that more children can live past their 1^st birthdays and be the future of America. If you are not able to donate to this cause please join me in raising awareness so that more babies can be given the opportunities to live normal healthy lives. This February 10-14 take a moment to support, pray for, or donate to anyone and everyone whom is affected by Congenital Heart disease.