Children’s Heart Foundation Honors Philanthropist, Heart Mom and Long-serving CHF Board Member, Mollie Stewart, While Raising Money for Camp Mend-a-Heart
With at least one in 100 children in the United States born with a congenital heart defect each year, it’s time to raise awareness and honor the champions fighting against what can be a deadly pediatric disease.
On Thursday, Sept. 29 at 11 a.m., Las Vegans come together to support Children’s Heart Foundation at the Fourth Annual Hearts for ChariTEA to raise money directly for the organization’s signature program, Camp Mend-a-Heart. The annual event honors Philanthropist of the Year, Mollie Stewart, at the Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas Four Seasons Ballroom (3960 S. Las Vegas Blvd.).
The only camp of its kind in Nevada, Camp Mend-a-Heart is a cost-free, medically supervised camp for children ages 7-17 receiving medical treatment in Nevada who are born with or develop a heart condition. Camp Mend-a-Heart offers a camping experience with sports, arts & crafts, water games and many other recreational activities and programs associated with a traditional summer camp and is staffed by volunteer counselors, nurses and physicians who give from their hearts to help these special kids.
Campers are able to shift their focus from their heart condition to the richness of life that can be experienced even by those with a cardiac diagnosis. They spend time with others, just like them, who understand what it’s like to have a heart condition. Camp Mend-a-Heart allows heart kids to be free from the worry of their heart condition, to be a kid, have a traditional overnight camp experience and to forge friendships that will last a lifetime. The cost to send a single camper to Camp Mend-a-Heart is approximately $1,000 and Children’s Heart Foundation has never charged a single camper to attend.
Women are invited to break out the party dress, don their best fascinator, and mix and mingle over afternoon tea and champagne while supporting Children’s Heart Foundation and their mission to provide financial, emotional and educational support for children living with heart conditions in Nevada.
Upon entering, attendees will be able to bid on extravagant silent auction items including a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork made by CHF campers, entertainment packages, beauty baskets, spa certificates, fashion finds, and much more. As guests make their way into the grand ballroom, they will be treated to a full afternoon tea service featuring an assortment of delicious teas, champagne cocktails, finger sandwiches, petit fours, and other sweet treats.
Throughout the tea, incomparable emcee and radio personality, Stephanie Mackenzie of 97.1 The Point, will bring awareness to Children’s Heart Foundation and their mission to help heart families throughout Nevada while honoring this year’s Philanthropist of the Year, Mollie Stewart. Tickets are $150 per person or $1,200 for a table of eight by calling (702) 967-3522 or emailing chfn@chfn.org. Deadline to RSVP is Sept. 16. For those who cannot attend the event, the silent auction will be available beginning Sept. 26 by visiting www.chfn.org.
“I’m truly humbled by this recognition and to be honored by this organization I’m so closely involved with as they strive to improve the lives of so many children in our community,” says Mollie Stewart, Philanthropist of the Year. “As most of our foundation community knows, our sweet girl Maggie paved the way for the opportunity to become involved in this incredible organization providing inspiration for my husband John and I to raise more than $1.4 million over the years through the We Heart Maggie Golf Tournament and Butterfly Bash. I feel that Maggie is looking down on me and gracing me again, as she did in her short life, by giving me the opportunity to do such good in our community.”
A self-proclaimed military brat, Mollie Stewart called Las Vegas “home” with her father being stationed at Nellis Air Force Base multiple times during his career despite living everywhere in the world, from Florida to the Philippines and Italy to Henderson.
She initially started her foray into philanthropy and non-profit work in high school using it as not only a way to give back, but as a way to meet new friends in far-away locations. Graduating from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, Stewart majored in Textiles and Merchandising where she has since worked in various capacities for architectural and interior design firms, as well as a wholesale furniture company.
In 2007, Mollie and her husband gave birth to the sweet Marguerite Anne Stewart who was born with a congenital heart defect and passed away due to complications during a procedure to correct the defect in 2008. She then became determined to keep little Maggie’s infectious spirit alive and became involved with Children’s Heart Foundation and in 2009, founded the We Heart Maggie Golf Tournament and subsequent Butterfly Bash.
She also has been a dedicated board member and currently serves as a Trustee for the organization’s board of directors. While not working or volunteering, she’s concentrating on her kids and their endeavors including guiding them into the world of giving back to causes of their own. She is also involved with Pi Beta Phi Las Vegas Alumnae Club and P.E.O. and is dedicated to her two Golden Retrievers she adopted with her family from the non-profit Goldens Without Borders.
Research, education and family assistance are at the heart of Children’s Heart Foundation’s mission. In the United States, congenital heart defects (CHD) are 60 times more prevalent than childhood cancer, and nearly twice as many children die each year as die from all forms of childhood cancers combined. Research, still grossly underfunded in the field of pediatric cardiology, is the greatest hope for children living with a CHD a chance to live long, healthy lives due to medical and surgical advances and expert care. It is the hope this event continues to improve the level of care provided to those impacted by CHD.
About Children’s Heart Foundation Founded in 2001, the Children’s Heart Foundation is committed to making a difference in the lives of children with heart conditions through empowering families through emotional, educational and financial support leading to a higher quality of life.
Children’s Heart Foundation has for main goals: to lend support to families as they deal with the emotional and financial toll exacted by a child’s heart condition, to provide a medically-supervised camp experience for children with heart conditions, to educate healthcare professionals and the general public on pediatric cardiology issues; and to support research in the area of pediatric cardiology.
For more information regarding Children’s Heart Foundation, please call (702) 967-3522, visit www.chfn.org, “like” on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ChildrensHeartFoundation or follow @HeartKidsNevada on Instagram.
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