Olly Cogan with Gautham Nair

(In his own words…)

What has been your favorite moment so far with Hands To Hearts?

When we hosted the Red Run in October 2022, many people came out to support HandstoHearts and its mission. Everyone united against CHD and trekked a 5k run, and seeing the diversity within the crowd was beautiful. Children and adults from all backgrounds rallied in support for their friends, loved ones, and peers. Witnessing the community come together to support these children who are bravely battling heart afflictions was fulfilling to me.

If you could start over, what would you change, if anything?

While HandstoHearts had an excellent start and held many events, I would have also found better ways to engage with patients and their families earlier. I believe that sharing patient stories is powerful, and many people who have received treatment for CHD are eager to tell their store. Many of them love having a voice to connect with the community, spread awareness, and how having a support system helped them through a difficult time.

What’s the next step of improvement?

We have a wonderful Hands To Hearts branch in Collierville Highschool, and I know that we can find more ways to get High School students involved. I would love to have more volunteering events where we connect these students with these patients. At the same time, Hands To Hearts could expand to other institutions where previous officers are residing. Lastly, there are always better ways to reach larger audiences and spread awareness. Innovation follows with new Executive Board officers leading the organization. Being open to change is often difficult but incredibly valuable at times.

What do people not realize about Congenital Heart Defects (CHD)?

Congenital Heart Defects affect nearly 40,000 births per year, which is approximately 1 child per 15 minutes. Through my work with Hands to Hearts, I have learned how widespread these afflictions are and how much it impacts the Memphis Metropolitan community. I was shocked that even many of my loved ones-both family and friends-have experienced these problems or personally knows someone who has received treatment for a heart condition, like Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome. Knowing that your infant faces this adversity is stressful for their family, but fortunately CHD can be addressed by adopting healthier lifestyle practices, taking prescribed medicine, or undergoing surgery.

If you had a final message to our audience, what would it be?

Always strive for more. Although CHD is not entirely preventable or curable, continued support for the patients, families, and research is a critical step towards a future where that may be possible. Fundraising, volunteering, or health policy are valuable ways to get involved. Even if you do not come out to Hands To Hearts events or donate, I still strongly encourage you to explore ways that you can support these patients and feel impactful.

Want more?

Watch Gautham’s presentation on our Instagram here