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Building Hearts to Save Lives with BIOLIFE4D
This post is sponsored by BIOLIFE4D. I have received compensation for writing the words, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Building Hearts to Save Lives with BIOLIFE4D
Heart disease. It's something that will likely touch every single one of us in some way during our lifetime. Be it dealing with your own struggles with the disease or a loved ones, the chances are at some point you will become personally acquainted with this life changing affliction. Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States. It is the cause of one in three deaths for women, and one in four for men. Pretty sobering statistics. Building Hearts to Save Lives with BIOLIFE4D.
But what if it didn't have to be that way? What if we could save more of theses people? That is where BIOLIFE4D comes in; they want to 3D print a viable human heart that is suitable for transplant, with no chance of the body rejecting the new heart. Now that may sound like science fiction, but it's not. It's real, and the technology is further along than you may think. We were tagged by Michele at midlifehealthyliving.com to complete this challenge to share some really amazing information with you.
Our Story
This research hits close to home for my family. My youngest daughter Laurel was born with a heart defect known as Tetralogy of Fallot, and she underwent open heart surgery at the age of 4 months. To this day, she still has no aortic valve. It was removed during her surgery and will likely have to be replaced in the future, meaning she faces at least one more open heart surgery during her lifetime.
My little girls open heart surgery was personally the most stressful period of my life. Watching you child struggle with something that you can't fix or make right is devastating. Nothing is in your control, and you are dependent on the talent of a stranger to help your child.
But as difficult at that experience was, we were lucky. My little girl came out of the surgery alive and kicking, and she didn't need a full transplant. Now that last point is important. There are simply not enough hearts for everyone that needs a transplant. As an example, in 2015 there were 125,000 people in the United States that were waiting for organ transplant, but only 13,ooo donors. And last year, 98% of the people on the heart transplant waiting list did NOT receive a new heart. It is the goal of BIOLIFE4D to change those statistics. Now we are Building Hearts to Save Lives with BIOLIFE4D .
BIOLIFE4D
In real life, it is simply not possible to always successfully repair the human heart. There are patients right now waiting for donor hearts or valves. Some of those patients will receive what they need in time, but others sadly will not. Now sometimes we can use things like animal valves to buy time, but really that is a solution that is not long term. The bottom line is this; the only real long term solution for patients needing a transplant is the human heart itself.
BIOLIFE4D's solution to this problem is 3D printing. They are developing the technology to actually print a human heart using the patient‘s own cells. This would mean an end to donor wait lists and organ rejection. And the best part is this isn't science fiction. It's real, and it is being developed right now. Bioprinted organs are becoming a reality. Check out the video below as it does a much better job than I of explaining exactly how this all works.
Build A Heart Save A Life – BIOLIFE4D from BIOIFE4D on Vimeo.
The BIOLIFE4D research is funded through private equity, and they are always looking for investors (both big and small) that are passionate about this life changing medical research. If that sounds like something that you may be interested in, click the link here. Biolife4d is launching an equity crowdfunding campaign soon so that the general public and invest and join their mission to save millions of lives
The Act of Heart Challenge
BIOLIFE4D recently sent me a short letter that told the story of Jack. Now like my daughter, Jack was born with a very rare condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. He underwent his first surgery at the age of 10 days, and at age 11 he underwent full heart transplant. Now today Jack is a healthy, normal 16 year old boy that happens to be an advocate for the medical technologies that will better the lives of those with challenges like his.
As I mentioned when talking about my own experience with heart disease, the whole process of open heart surgery is incredibly stressful. So as a way to give back just a little and maybe help someone who could use a little happiness, my family is taking part in the Act of Heart Challenge.
The idea is simple. Write a short note to a stranger in the hospital that is going through the difficult ordeal of heart surgery. My children are all involved, each making a card to hopefully bring a little sunshine to someone’s day. I think it's a great idea, and I know that we would have loved to received a note of encouragement during my daughters ordeal. Participation costs nothing more than a few minutes of time and the cost of a stamp, and it has the potential to lift someone’s spirit when they need it the most. We hope that you enjoyed this Building Hearts to Save Lives with BIOLIFE4D post.
Letters can be mailed to:
Texas Children’s Hospital
ATTN: Volunteer Services
6621 Fannin Street, Suite A1125
Houston, TX 77030
Heart problems run in my family so this is important to me. My daughter was also in and out of hospitals her entire childhood due to another health condition. Receiving a letter from a stranger can brighten someone’s day like most people wouldn’t imagine. This is a wonderful initiative!
I hope that BIOLIFE4D can make a viable human heart! That would be such a blessing!
It is so sad that so many have to go through this! I love that they’re working to get people involved in the process and showing support for the people suffering.
This is such a great cause! I had a nephew who only lived six weeks due to a heart defect. I’m glad BioLife is doing research to help patients waiting for a heart transplant. I sent a few cards to the kids!
It is amazing that this kind of technology is happening! What a great concept, it is incredible how far technology has come, and I hope that this will be able to help a lot of people in the future.
Wow I had no idea your daughter was born with tetralogy of fallot. She is a wonderful example of why heart research matters. This is am amazing program and I hope that the funding comes through to make a viable 4 D BioLIFE4D printed heart. Wouldn’t that be amazing!
My heart goes out to you and your family – and of course especially to your daughter. She is one tough cookie, and I pray that her future heart surgery goes smoothly. It’s incredible the technology we have today. And it just keeps advancing every single day. I am always so insanely amazed.
This is definitely something that’s worth supporting especially since it can save lives. I think it’s a good program and people should consider looking into it. Imagine all the people that we can help with this.
We also have heart issues in our family. I am completely in awe of technology and what it will be able to do for our health very soon!
I am so glad your little girl is doing well, but I am also sorry she will have to endure another heart surgery sometime in her lifetime. I honestly never thought a 3D printing of a heart or anything could happen, I thought it was just something I saw on a TV show. This is such a great thing that technology can do eventually. Thank you for such an interesting post.
I can’t imagine what you went through when your baby had open heart surgery. She’s beautiful now! I’m glad you are involved with such a worthy cause. and one so close to your heart.
I work in healthcare and I think this is such a great thing! So many people aren’t organ donors and should be so this is a fantastic alternative!!
Wow! This is a wonderful cause! I am really glad that this can save lives especially to those children that needs it.
This is amazing and almost hard to believe. I know technology has advanced by leaps and bounds in my lifetime and this sounds fantastic. I would like to invest in this company but apparently they are a limited partnership at this time. Once they are on the exchange I would be very interested in investing in this company. Right now I have three limited partnership holdings and they are a pain at tax time. I’ll wait but would love to invest later on.
My grandson had open heart surgery at 4 months old, so this post is dear to my heart. I love the way to give back.
What an outstanding post and the science is so amazing. It would be great to have heart transplants be so available. I hope your family and daughter are healthy and don’t ever need a transplant.
It’s so sad that heart problems are so common! The solution being worked on by Biolife4D sounds incredibly impressive and I hope it’s able to help a lot of people.
I am going to get my family to write a few letters this weekend. I think it is a great way to be able to help out a little. It is so amazing how far technology has come.
It’s my first time hearing about BIOLIFE4D and I’m already at awe with what they’re trying to do. This kind of research and program deserves support especially if it’s going to save plenty of lives in the future.
It really does sound like a great way to provide hearts for people. I didn’t know these kinds of things were possible with 3D printing.
I had no idea that they were working on 3D printing for heart transplants/replacements – which seems like an absolutely brilliant idea. Also, this cause sounds really great.
Right? I was surprised to hear about this kind of technology but I’m also amazed at what it can do!
Truly awesome and inspiring. Gives so much hope.
3D printing will save so many lives in the field of medicine. Many of us are learning this thanks to shows like Grey’s Anatomy.
I love the idea of sending a letter of support to someone in a hospital. I’ll spread the news.
Oh wow this is so promising and what a beautiful cause too. I hope that there will be many more options for saving lives via this sort of technology in the years to come.
Wow – this sounds like such a wonderful cause. Thank you so much for sharing about your personal story and this cause.
This touches my heart. I love that you got your children involved to make cares and be empathetic.
This is the first time I’m hearing of this. I think this is such a wonderful cause too. I love the idea of 3d printing. I think it’s going to turn out to be great.
Such an amazing time we live in. One can only wonder what’s to come in the next decade or so. This will seem outdated by then!
Wow! I had no idea that this could even be done! I mean, 3D printing a human heart out of cells seems like science fiction, but I’m sure it’s going to save lots of lives. Thank goodenss!
Wow! I had no idea that this could even be done! I mean, 3D printing a human heart out of cells seems like science fiction, but I’m sure it’s going to save lots of lives. Thank goodness!
What an amazing invention and technology. I can’t believe I’ve never heard of it before, but I know it will save so many lives.
My friend’s soon was born with the same heart condition. He was so blue when he was born. So much going on for oneittle guy! Thankful technology has taken us this far, but there’s still more we can do. Thanks for sharing your story and ways we can help.
This is a campaign that would support. I have a very good friend, my grade school classmate who lost her son who was only 4 years old then, due to a congenital heart defect. I would let her know about this and I know we will get a whole lot of support. Thanks for sharing your story too.
It is just sad to know that there are that many people needing or waiting for a match. BIOLIFE4D, will help a lot of people to live a full life. I will support this campaign. Thanks for letting us know about it and for sharing your story.
This program definitely needs funding! It would be nice to be able to have a heart transplant and not have to worry about rejection. I will help you spread the word about Biolife4D. Ths is such a big leap in medical science!
Thank you for letting me know.
The technology available these days is absolutely mind blowing. I Love that they are able to build 3D hearts now.
This topic hits home for s.o many people. There is not one person who is not affected by heart disease so this technology is so vital
I am so glad that your daughter is ok. My daughter has heart defects too. She has an aortic heart vale defect but it is not serious.
You simply cannot turn down the chance to support a research project like this that will help save so many lives in the process. It’s amazing how much technology can help us become better.
I couldn’t agree more with what you just said! We should grab as much chance as we can get to save lives.
This is such an amazing idea! I’m sure it will save many lives.
When I think how far we’ve come with technology, my mind is just blown. BIOLIFE4D sounds simply amazing. I hope they are able to raise a lot of funds because it would be incredible to hear one day we don’t have a shortage of organ donations. I am glad that your daughter’s surgery was a success.
Thank you for raising awareness to this. I had no idea about this. BIOLIFE4D sounds like they are doing amazing work and saving lives!
Wow this is something truly amazing! Heart disease runs in my family and is something that scares me.
98% of those on the waiting list didn’t receive a heart? Oh man, that stat really got to me. I had no idea it was so high. What an incredible thing this is – the idea to 3D print a heart. We live in an amazing age!
The statistics are awful. That’s a lot of people not getting a heart that need one. 🙁 I’m all for helping support this kind of progress. Thank you for sharing your daughter’s story. I’m sure that was a very troubling time, and hurrah that she pulled out just fine!
A good idea. Hope it becomes a reality 😉
I am hoping that this would soon be available worldwide. People born with congenital heart defects deserve a better life and BIOLIFE4D is the hope that we all need.
I really hope they can advance with 3d printing soon. There are so many benefits to it and hopefully it will be easily accessible for everybody.
This really a great cause to all who needs help especially children. I hope we can have this too here in Philippines.
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