Meet Lauren

Lauren may look like a healthy 29-year-old, but she isn't. But she has hope.

At age 12 she was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an incurable condition that restricts blood flow from the heart. For a while she was OK, but in her teen years the illness began to take its toll. Lauren was always an athlete, but her heart condition forced her to give up playing sports as her physical stamina weakened. Today even the simplest task, such as getting her daughter ready for school, can bring on chest pains and force her to stop what she’s doing and rest. At this point, she is quite simply being held hostage by her disease. Lauren is currently on the waiting list for a new heart. Until she gets that heart she makes an extra effort to enjoy every minute spent with her family. She dreams of the day she gets a new heart and has the energy to teach her daughter to throw a softball or swing a tennis racket. Until then, Lauren makes sure her cell phone is always with her as she waits for the call that will change her life.