A Matter of the Heart

(WOLO) CHAPIN, S.C., Rebbecca Butcher says her family’s story started 4 years ago with the birth of their little angel, Annabell. The beautiful baby girl was born with Hypo-plastic left heart syndrome, a congenital heart defect that required surgery for survival. At 4 days old, baby Annabell was whisked away to The medical University of South Carolina to undergo her first of three surgeries. Pulling through she was able to come home in at 5 weeks old to her parents and older brother who were eagerly waiting. Rebecca tells me at 2 months old, during a routine visit to the pediatrician for a well visit, Annabell passed away. Determined to keep her memory alive they began making baskets full of love for other families whose children are living with congenital heart defects. Through donations from friends and family and former recipients, Rebecca and her husband started making “Annabell’s Baskets” containers full of baby blankets, booties, and teddy bears for the infants who who were in the hospital preparing for their own surgeries. The family keeps the hospital stocked, delivering an estimated 30 baskets to the hospital every 4 to 6 weeks. While they did not get the outcome they’d hoped for, they say their loss is helping give hope and love to other families who are now where they once were.