My Birthday Wish

I'm a November baby, and looking forward to celebrating another wonderful birthday. But there's another benchmark that I'm also very excited and proud to celebrate, and that is the 25 years that the Larry King Cardiac Foundation has been saving lives. Heart by heart, we've been helping people get the cardiac care they need, whether they live in America's heartland or as far away as east Africa.

This year for my birthday, I have a simple wish: I'd love for everyone who reads this to do one thing to save a heart. Prevention is smart medicine, so choose to eat a healthy meal today, or get some exercise, or laugh and share a smile with someone who could use a little less stress in his or her life. If you're feeling really big hearted, consider making a donation to the Larry King Cardiac Foundation. Right now, we're collecting funds to support another medical mission to Uganda.

Dr. Craig Sable from the National Children's Medical Center in Washington, D.C. will be bringing another team to the Uganda Heart Institute at Mulago Hospital. This will be his twelfth mission to diagnose and treat kids with heart disease. While there, the team will also advance one step closer to building an independent, sustainable heart surgery program in one of the most resource-poor parts of the world. The LKCF is incredibly proud of the impact we've had in supporting past trips and remains committed to ensuring that Dr. Sable's team and their Ugandan colleagues reach this milestone.

Of the six million children around the world with potentially treatable heart defects and no access to care, approximately 6,000 live in Uganda. How great would it be if together, we could put 6,000 candles on a metaphorical cake to brighten the lives of these kids?!

A big thank you to you for helping my birthday wish come true. Please do what you can for your own heart or someone else's - or hey, go for both! I sincerely hope that you can help kids like Victoria, who are the shining lights and future leaders of families and communities across Uganda.