“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.”
― John Bunyan
DJ’s Hope 4 Hearts was founded in 2012 to honor the memory of its namesake, DJ Merriman. DJ’s heart was damaged by a virus when he was an infant, and from the time he was 17 months old, he was dependent on a pacemaker to keep his heart pumping. DJ was a well-loved young man who tried to make a difference in the lives of others, always helping anyone who was in need. His gestures of kindness could be as simple as a smile, or as grand as raising money for his favorite hospital’s “Radiothon” fundraiser. In January 2012, 17 year old DJ passed away in his sleep from cardiomyopathy, also known as an enlarged heart. He took with him the hearts of many, but inspired those of us left behind to make a difference.
DJ’s Hope 4 Hearts has a two-fold mission. We seek to become an educational resource for children and their families on the signs and symptoms of cardiomyopathy and other deadly heart diseases, and provide financial support to families dealing with heart diseases. The financial support falls into two categories. The first category is for the children. Our gifts might include a gift certificate for the child to go shopping or tickets to a ball game, so they can forget about being sick for a while. In the future, we hope to create a scholarship program to assist the kids with pursuing their education. The second category is for the parents. DJ’s Hope 4 Hearts provides assistance to parents facing financial hardships due to their child’s illness to help cover costs such as medical expenses, family lodging near medical facilities, or medication. Sadly, some children lose their fight and parents are faced with significant funeral costs. Parents often do not have resources set aside for funerals, as no parent expects to bury their child. We will provide assistance in such instances as well. Please see link on the webpage for more information if you need help, or know someone who does.
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