Local Mom Petitioning for National Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week

A local mom is urging people to sign a petition by Feb. 4 to make Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week nationally recognized and give children with a life-threatening heart disease hope for a cure in their lifetime.

Nicole Corbesato, whose daughters were both born with a severe congenital heart defect, said that recognizing Feb. 7 to Feb. 14 on the national level will “make a difference in the lives of children whose voices cannot be heard. It will provide funding for better research and maybe one day a cure.”

Corbesato worked as a hairdresser in Fairfield for more than 10 years until she had to leave to take care of her daughters.

The girls were both born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.

Isabella is now 3 ½ years old, Ava is 2 and will be going for her third open heart surgery in less than two months. Isabella has been through three procedures.

“They’ve been fighting (the life-threatening illness) since birth and we need it to be nationally recognized to provide funds for research, better treatments and a cure in their lifetime,” Corbesato said.

The family has deep local connections. They lived in Shelton for a few years before they lost their home in a fire and Corbesato’s husband Phil grew up in Monroe and they currently live in Ansonia.

Corbesato said that the Fairfield, Shelton and Monroe communities have embraced their family with so much love, kindness and support that it was “unbelievably touching.”

However, Corbesato said this endeavor is not so much about her family’s struggles but rather the congenital heart defect (CHD) community as a whole and she is just one of thousands of other mothers, fathers and medical professionals that are trying to get the petition signed.

Click here to sign the petition.

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