About

Bright Heart Foundation

Grounded in love, with a primary mission of hope, Bright Heart Foundation advocates for and supports children and their families living with the challenges of Congenital Heart Defects (CHD), while also providing support for the physicians who treat them.

CHD currently affects about 40,000 newborns in the United States each year. Of those births, 25% have a critical CHD, which generally requires surgery or other procedures in their first year of life. CHD is a lifelong battle for many children as there currently is no cure.

Bright Heart Foundation Raises Money For CHD Research
+ Our Three Programs

SURVIVE Program
Provide support tools to doctors and nurses to use for their inpatient babies and children crucial to keeping their spirits elevated during their months/years of hospital stays as they fight to survive CHD.

THRIVE Program
Provide developmental support equipment to the inpatient and outpatient healthcare team in OT, PT, and Speech Therapy to use for patients as they work to reach their full ability potential and thrive.

ALIVE Program
Provide mental health care to those living with CHD, family members that care for those with CHD, and CHD healthcare providers.

Through hope we heal hearts.

Luke’s Story

Back in 2017, sixteen weeks into their pregnancy, Linda and Clint Pilkinton heard the news; their baby would be born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, a rare congenital defect in which a part of the infant’s heart is underdeveloped or not there at all. The disease currently affects about 960 babies each year in the United States.

The news that their baby would be born with “half a heart” was devastating, leaving the couple feeling “helpless and hopeless,” and resulting in a very stressful pregnancy.

Born on December 21, 2017, Luke Pilkinton has already endured two open-heart surgeries and will require further surgery when he reaches three years of age.

Clint and Linda Pilkinton established the Bright Heart Foundation not only to anchor all-important research efforts, but, by sharing their own story, to raise awareness and offer hope and support to those families dealing with the everyday challenges of CHD.

“Our first-hand experience has taught us that one of the most important tools for healing the sick, and to support their families and physicians, is to keep their hope alive,” Linda says. “Without genuine support and love from those around them, healing can be less successful for those precious infants who are struggling to survive.”

Photographs courtesy of Divine Images and courtesy of Suha Dabit of World of Broken Hearts.

Video courtesy of Suha Dabit of World of Broken Hearts and courtesy of 3 Sons Media.