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When Kaylen was one month old, doctors discovered a narrow heart valve. An emergency balloon catheter helped, but it wasn't a cure. She needed a second surgery at age 18.
Gary was thrilled when he won the million dollar prize in the Heart&Stroke Lottery. He knew he was supporting a good cause, but never thought he'd need the Foundation's help.
Janet knows that heart disease can strike without warning. At the age of just 42, she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Since then she's had four major surgeries.
Robert Martin used to play golf and hockey four times a week. He received a heart transplant in 2009 and had to slow down his active lifestyle - but went into cardiac arrest two weeks later.
 KAYLEN LEONIENCO
When Kaylen was one month old, doctors discovered she had a narrow heart valve. She was turning blue and not breathing well. An emergency balloon catheterization helped to open her heart so more blood could get through, but it wasn't a cure. She needed a second surgery at age 18 to give her a larger valve. Now, Kaylen is 20 and she volunteers for the Foundation because she says she appreciates everything we do for people like her. "The Foundation needs our help to continue their work in education, awareness and research which give people like me longer, fuller lives." Learn more about our mission »  GARY OUELLETTE
Gary was thrilled when he won the million dollar prize in the Heart&Stroke Lottery. He knew he was supporting a good cause, but never predicted he'd be one of the people the Foundation's work would help. In 2010, Gary had a mini-stroke. Six months later, he was rushed to surgery for a triple bypass. "You don't think of those things until they actually happen," he says. "If you're going to buy a lottery ticket, this is the one to support. The Foundation's work gave me more time to live my life and I'm just one of many people they've helped." Learn more about our mission »  JANET PARR
Janet knows that heart disease can strike without warning. At the age of 42, she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. She's had four major surgeries. Now, she has what is essentially an artificial heart. "It circulates my blood, which my heart is too weak to do on its own. It's a bridge until I can have a heart transplant," she says. "I feel it's important to support the Foundation because the research advances they fund could be vital to helping me and people like me get more years of life, of joy and of time with people we love." Learn more about our mission »  ROBERT MARTIN
Robert Martin used to play golf and hockey four times a week, but in 1998 he felt unusually tired. He found out he had dilated cardiomyopathy, which reduces the heart's ability to pump blood. He had to slow down his active life. He received a heart transplant in 2009, but went into cardiac arrest two weeks later. Now, he can't do as much activity, but he says cardiac rehab helped him get back to walking a mile and a half every day. "I'm so thankful to the Foundation for giving me a second chance at a full life." Learn more about our mission »
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