More than one in three women has some form of cardiovascular disease, and as the nation marks “American Heart Month,” one hospital staffer is using her knitting needles to raise awareness.
Advocate Trinity Hospital Taryn White has turned her knitting hobby into a stark reminder. She decided to take action after her family was affected by heart disease.
White knits dozens of red hats for newborn babies every year, with the woven yarn serving as a mom-to-mom message.
“Hopefully when she brings her brand new baby home and sees the little red heart sewn on top of the hat, she’ll remember to watch for the signs and symptoms of heart disease, but also look out for the rest of her family,” White said.
That also includes the infants themselves, as many newborn heart defects can go undetected.
“It’s so important that we make sure that every newborn, before they go home, has a congenital heart screening,” Michelle Roe, manager of Women and Infant Services at Trinity Hospital says.
Doctors recommend that patients of all ages get routine heart screenings, and White hopes that her hand-sewn gifts will be taken to heart.
“This is a really small way that I can hopefully make a big difference in another family’s life,” she said.
