05/10/2026
Dear Reggie,
My name as you know it is CHD, full name Congenital Heart Defect. I exist because of you, because at some point while your mummy was pregnant with you, I attacked your heart. I triggered something inside of you to tell your heart to stop growing properly and it did just that. Your parents fear me, they shiver at the very thought of what I took from you, but you are fearless and undaunted by me. When your parents crumble to tears, you fill the world with laughter and love. It is because of your strength that people believe in miracles. It is because of you that people see triumph and because of you hope is born. You walk around with me every day, yet you don’t allow people to see the toll I have taken on you. You continue to run, regardless of how blue your lips turn or how tired you might be. Though you may pause for a brief second, you won’t allow yourself to give into me. Instead, you flash a smile and take off again. I thought the scars I left on your body would tell a story of how strong I am, but it has only shown how strong you are. For you wear your scars as a battle cry, a symbol of courage and perseverance, that with your mighty roar has conquered me time and time again. Scars that were supposed to show weakness, have only shown your strength and determination. However, I will not give up. I will not stop trying to take you down. Nonetheless, you have taught me that where there is laughter, there is love and where there is love there is hope. You have shown me that it doesn’t matter if or when I take you down, you will never stop smiling, never stop dreaming and you will never give into me... not even for a moment. You have taken the heart that I have broken and inspired people with it. You have watched me take your friends and throughout your life you will see me take more, yet you bare my name proudly and continue to fight regardless. This is a war you will not win, but you have taught me that I will never truly win either, because winning is not about the destination or duration of one’s life, it is about the journey. It is the moments on this path that make up one’s life, that tell that person’s story. How you live your life will determine the true champion. Your story may start with, “he was born with a CHD”, but it certainly will not end that way. For you are a ray of light where my darkness tries to flourish. I may have come into your life when you were just forming, innocent and too weak to fight back, not understanding the depths of what I was taking from you. However, in my ignorance I made you stronger, I made you a fighter and though I am a part of you, you will never allow me to define you. You are a warrior and I am nothing more than a trainer, pushing you to be bigger and better than me. 💙
