Why empathy at work is vital: A Kforce mom shares her story about having a child with CHD

As a mom of two children born with Congenital Heart Defects (CHD), I know firsthand how important research and awareness are for heart health.

Both of my children required surgery when they were just two years old. I am grateful to the AHA, my friends at Inova Pediatric Cardiology and the grace of God for healing my kids and seeing them grow into the healthy teenagers they are today.

In honor of American Hearth Month, I’m raising awareness of heart health by talking with mothers across Kforce who have gone through similar experiences as I have. Earlier this month, I interviewed Rebecca Acosta-Simmons about her journey caring for her son Elias who was born with CHD. I was so moved by her story, I needed to talk with other parents facing similar challenges. 

Natalia Bittarelli’s seven-month-old baby Antonella was born three weeks early with a congenital heart defect. When she was just two days old, Antonella suddenly turned blue. She had stopped breathing. This has to be the worst nightmare for parents of a newborn! Throughout that night, she stopped breathing four times. Believing they were going to take Antonella home the next day, Natalia and her husband were devastated to learn that their baby’s problems were much more serious than they originally thought. Baby Antonella had to be admitted to the NICU where she was immediately intubated.

Watching her newborn being forced to breathe through a tube was a terrifying new experience for Natalia.

“Seeing my baby in an incubator was very scary. My husband wasn’t with me at the time, so had to watch her struggle by myself. But I am blessed to have been surrounded by my angels—the nurses who patiently explained every single procedure to me,” Natalia told me. “Whenever Antonella had an episode, they would show me things on the monitor and walked me through every detail.”

It’s incredible how faith can carry you through heart wrenching, difficult moments like this. Natalia described her “moments of victory” and I admire how she persevered through every stage of this crisis.

“One of the biggest victories was when they removed her breathing tube. And one of our greatest days was when they moved her from the incubator to a crib.”

If you’ve watched helplessly while a loved one struggles, you know how difficult it is to be optimistic, celebrate each victory and recognize every silver lining.

As Natalia shared her story with me, I marveled at how she juggled work with being a mom of a baby with health issues. How did she balance doctor appointments on top of her everyday life?

My heart was full as she described how supportive Kforce is of her and her family.

“Kforce has been amazing. I can work from home a couple of days a week. This allows me to take Antonella to the doctor's appointments, and even spend time with my other young child too. When you have a baby that requires more attention, your firstborn tends to feel alone, you know? Spending this extra time with my son Giancarlo means a lot to me.”

In order to truly be compassionate and care for the whole person, employers need to take time to listen to what they are going through.

It is vital employers do what they can to show empathy for parents who are facing challenges like Natalia is.

“When everything was happening, I contacted John Megally, who told me I should talk to you, Kye. You’ve gone through this with your children. Talking to you has been a breath of fresh air and has shown me that I am not alone. Sharing my story, and hearing yours, has given me peace of mind. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow, but I know who will listen to me and be supportive when things get hard.”

It’s important to share stories like Natalia’s because when people go through this, it is incredibly isolating. There are other families who have been through what you’re going through.

“If you are going through a similar experience, have faith. Have a great support system, and know you are not alone,” Natalia said.

On top of the groundbreaking research the AHA does, the organization provides support and education.

The AHA is changing lives.

I asked Natalia why the AHA is important to her, and she described them as angels. “We no longer have to assume these babies won’t make it. The AHA is giving them a chance to live a healthy life. If everybody could just take a moment to support this organization, it will change so many lives.”

Go Red is a leadership committee I am thankful to serve on as it brings awareness and research to heart disease. The AHA helps so many other families just like mine and Natalia’s.

Will you consider donating to help families like ours? Please click here to make a donation to the American Heart Association.