Fundraiser honors student
By Angie Landsverk
Waupaca Learning Center students will honor one of their classmates when they participate in this year’s Jump Rope for Heart and Hoops for Heart.
The fundraiser for the American Heart Association takes place Friday, March 2, and Monday, March 5, at the school.
This year, students will honor Mollie Osborne, who is a first grader at the school.
Her parents, Jessie and Brittany Osborne, learned their daughter’s heart was underdeveloped before she was born.
“When we found out there was a problem with Mollie’s heart, it was as a result of taking the birthing class offered at ThedaCare in Waupaca. In the class, they had advised we keep a ‘kick count,’” Brittany said. “However, Mollie was not even close to what was expected, and we soon found out there was an issue with her heart.”
Mollie was diagnosed with tricuspid atresia, in which the tricuspid valve is missing, causing there to be an absent or very small right ventricle in the heart.
She was born at Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee, and was 2 days old when she had her first heart surgery.
A few days later, she had surgery to correct a blockage in her intestines.
Mollie was 2 weeks old when she had her first open heart surgery and spent two months in the hospital before she could go home.
When she was 3 months old, she had a second open heart surgery.
That time, she stayed in the hospital a month.
When she was 3 years old, she had what her family hopes was her final open heart surgery.
The surgeries were not a cure, but a way for Mollie to survive.
Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defects in the United States, affecting about 1 in every 110 (about 40,000) babies each year.
Mollie visits the doctor every four months to make sure everything is going well and takes care of her heart with medication, healthy food choices and exercise.
Most causes of congenital heart defects are unknown, and the disease is a lifelong condition, requiring specialized care and often additional surgeries and medications later in life.
“We’ve been so lucky and blessed to have support from our families and community, especially Mollie’s Grandma Pat and Grandpa Al Jerman,” Brittany said. “Because Mollie was in the hospital for such an extended time, we needed to go back to work, so Grandma Patty stayed with Mollie at Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee during the week. We don’t know how we could have done it without them.”
Brittany said they also received community support, including help with travel expenses and prayers.
“Along the way, we’ve hooked up with a support group called Mended Little Hearts, and it has helped having a group of folks to relate to and ask questions of who have gone through similar situations,” she said.
This week, students at Waupaca Learning Center spent several days during their physical education classes learning the skills associated with the Jump Rope for Heart and Hoops for Heart.
On March 2 and 5, stations will be set up at the school.
This is the fourth year the students are honoring someone when they participate in the event, said Lisa Ash, a physical education teacher at the school.
Last year, students raised $18,209 for the American Heart Association, a record amount for the school, Ash said.
Students had until Feb. 27 to collect donations for this year’s event.
Community members have until March 5 to donate funds toward the school’s total.
They may drop off checks, payable to the American Heart Association, at the school or donate online at heart.org/jump where they need to type in the name of the school.
“Jump Rope for Heart is very aligned with our physical education standards, so the message is be active, stay healthy, don’t smoke, avoid tobacco, watch your salt and take care of others. That’s the goal,” Ash said.
She said the money they raise for the American Heart Association is great, because it helps other.
The teachers also like the message they are sharing with the students about the importance of having healthy habits.
“I love the program. I think the kids really like it,” Ash said. “It’s just great for kids to increase their physical literacy and to help others. What’s a better message?”