Something You Can Do

The Parker Miklos Website

Something You Can Do

Parker and sisters Libby and Abigail say "Thanks" for making this year's Heart Walk a success,

"If there's anything I can do, just let me know."

We've heard this so many times since Parker was born!

We can't tell you how much we apppreciate the love and support we've received from family, friends, and even kind strangers over the last several months. Thank you to everyone who has supported our family--and to all of you who are taking steps to help others dealing with congenital heart defects.

Team Little Parker, more than 20 walkers strong, supported pediatric heart research in the 2004 Metro Detroit American Heart Walk on October 2. Team members who confronted miserable weather and an early-morning start time to join Heidi, Frank, and the three children included Connie and Craig Spray; Jennifer Miklos; Katherine Ling; Sarah Cholger Blust; Susan Dusute; Tracy, Emma, and Drew Alford; Judy and Herb Cholger; Doug Dryderman; Paige, Kennedy, and Mattison Levy with Garron Black; Kara Stubblefield and Kenny Kucel.

Leading up to the walk, family and friends attended a kickoff fundraising event for Parker's birthday in July and supported a bunco party that benefited the walk.

Although the American Heart Association is still tallying (and accepting!) donations, Team Little Parker's contributions are expected to exceed $7500.

In 2003, the family celebrated Parker's steady recovery by joining Trisha Leonard's Hearts of Hope Team. They raised over $2400 (nearly five times their goal).

Parker's family thanks everyone who offered time, funds, and encouragement as the family advocates for improvements in pediatric cardiac research and treatment.

Team Parker is all smailes at the 2004 Heart Walk.

Might we ask you for one more thing--something that might mean the difference between life and death for more than 50 people?

Consider Becoming a Donor

As of July 1, 2003 there were 80 children and adults in Michigan awaiting a heart transplant. In all, 2439 patients were awaiting the transplant of a major organ; hundreds more could benefit from other tissues including heart valves, veins, tendons, bone, skin, or corneas. And so far this year, 62 Michigan patients died while awaiting an organ transplant.

Parker was one of the lucky ones. Thankfully, because he was a candidate for the Norwood Procedure, he didn't have to go on the transplant list. But he did benefit from a small patch of cryogenically frozen heart tissue taken from a 33-year-old patient years earlier.

His neighbor at Children's Hospital wasn't so lucky. This 2-year-old went through each step of the Norwood Procedure only to have the last surgery fail. He lived in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Children's Hospital for more than 4 months before a donor could be found.

A smile as thanks for your support!

Donate blood to your nearest blood bank.
Consider becoming an organ and tissue donor.
Then act on your decision by making sure that others know your wishes.

It's amazed us how many of you have shared the location of this website with others. There was so much traffic on an earlier version of the website that it shutdown; daily hits since Parker returned home average more than 1600.

Think of the good that can be done if you use that same sort of networking to encourage others to become organ and tissue donors or to donate blood!

For more information, visit the following websites:

Please share what you learn with others.