Making dreams come true
Donation protected
In January of 2011 my sister Brienna welcomed my 2nd niece into the world, Kyla. In April of 2011 we were all devastated to find out she has a congenital heart defect that would require open heart surgery. In May she had surgery to repair her defect. During this time my sister decided that she wanted to be a part of the team of specialists that made her daughter's life a possibility. She immediately fell in love with the idea of Echocardiography and decided that she would pursue this for a career! Brienna has since been diligently pursuing this career. For those of you who don’t know Echocardiography is ultrasound imaging of the heart.
Fast forward 7 years, a new diagnosis of another heart disease and prognosis for future surgeries for my niece would be inevitable. After some prerequisites and obstacles, Brienna finally made her way into the Echo Program at Spokane Community College! We watched as she poured her heart and soul into the program, spent countless hours studying, letting her love for her daughter drive her passion to help cure others with similar issues.
Her goal was to apply to one of the top Pediatric Hospitals in the country for her full time clinical at the end of the program, and all of her hard work paid off! She was invited to apply for DUKE HOSPITAL in North Carolina! They give out one slot for clinicals per year! It was a long shot. Among hundreds of applicants throughout the nation she was the only student selected for the Pediatric Echo Clinic at Duke Children's Hospital!!
Her clinical will start in January 2020! She is so excited for the opportunity and ability to get to learn from such a prestigious group of techs! The clinical is 6 months long and her family is the most important thing in her life so they are making a new start. With success comes sacrifice and they will be moving across the country. This comes with the cost of relocation for a family of 5.
She said “When I was asked to apply, I didn't know how we would do it but I couldn't pass up the opportunity due to cost because money should never stop you from reaching for what you’re passionate about. I'm not one to ask for help, but I feel so passionately about becoming an amazing echo tech and being able to help give the best care to children like our own little heart warrior that I'm willing to swallow my pride and ask for help.”
This is a fundraiser not just for my sister but for future children with heart defects. I believe in her abilities and the passion behind her career path. And I can’t think of a better reason to fund something. Investing in people and their education is the best way to succeed as a country. This takes them far from home. Far from everything they have known. But I support her and I hope you all can find it in your hearts to support her as well! Thank you in advance!
Fast forward 7 years, a new diagnosis of another heart disease and prognosis for future surgeries for my niece would be inevitable. After some prerequisites and obstacles, Brienna finally made her way into the Echo Program at Spokane Community College! We watched as she poured her heart and soul into the program, spent countless hours studying, letting her love for her daughter drive her passion to help cure others with similar issues.
Her goal was to apply to one of the top Pediatric Hospitals in the country for her full time clinical at the end of the program, and all of her hard work paid off! She was invited to apply for DUKE HOSPITAL in North Carolina! They give out one slot for clinicals per year! It was a long shot. Among hundreds of applicants throughout the nation she was the only student selected for the Pediatric Echo Clinic at Duke Children's Hospital!!
Her clinical will start in January 2020! She is so excited for the opportunity and ability to get to learn from such a prestigious group of techs! The clinical is 6 months long and her family is the most important thing in her life so they are making a new start. With success comes sacrifice and they will be moving across the country. This comes with the cost of relocation for a family of 5.
She said “When I was asked to apply, I didn't know how we would do it but I couldn't pass up the opportunity due to cost because money should never stop you from reaching for what you’re passionate about. I'm not one to ask for help, but I feel so passionately about becoming an amazing echo tech and being able to help give the best care to children like our own little heart warrior that I'm willing to swallow my pride and ask for help.”
This is a fundraiser not just for my sister but for future children with heart defects. I believe in her abilities and the passion behind her career path. And I can’t think of a better reason to fund something. Investing in people and their education is the best way to succeed as a country. This takes them far from home. Far from everything they have known. But I support her and I hope you all can find it in your hearts to support her as well! Thank you in advance!
Organizer and beneficiary
Topher Hammond
Organizer
Coeur d'Alene, ID
Brienna Blenkle
Beneficiary