Jefferson County resident Erica Church is selling T-shirts this month to raise awareness about congenital heart defects.
The project has special meaning for Erica, a 2023 Northwest High School graduate who was born with heart defects – two holes in her heart and an abnormally formed mitral valve that leaked
She said her mother, Amanda Britain, found out her daughter had heart defects before she was born.
Erica, who had three open-heart surgeries before she turned 3, said it’s important to bring attention to congenital heart defects (CHD).
“It is definitely something people need to know more about,” she said.
Bringing awareness to CHD, even by wearing a T-shirt, can make those with heart conditions feel less alone, Britain said.
“When you’re in the middle of what feels like a storm and sometimes you feel isolated and alone, it feels like no one else can really understand what this is like,” she said. “But you know what? There might be someone out there. For me, it’s just to bring a little bit of awareness to congenital heart defects.”
Not only has Erica’s experience motivated her to spread the word about CHD, but also it inspired her to pursue a career in the healthcare field.
Erica, 18, of House Springs is a freshman at Jefferson College, completing prerequisite work before she can begin the nursing program. She also works as a personal-care technician at Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Crystal City.
“It’s pushed me to continue in nursing because my mindset has always been that someone has saved my life, and for my career, I want to be able to save someone else’s life,” she said.
Congenital heart defect is a general term for a range of birth defects that affect the heart, including holes in the heart, leaking valves and defective vessels, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Depending on the severity of the defect, it may be managed with medication, surgery or a heart transplant.
Erica said she sees a cardiologist once a year for a checkup and has not had any health complications due to CHD since she was a young child.
She also said she has not let CHD slow her down, although it’s always in the back of her mind because she knows things could change in the future.
“I was very lucky because I never had any restrictions growing up,” Erica said. “But every time I leave for the cardiologist, I’m constantly panicked and worried. I’m like, ‘Oh my goodness, what if he’s going to tell me my heart’s not doing so great?’”
Shirts can be purchased at chd.spiritsale.com until Jan. 31.
Britain said her daughter began the T-shirt fundraiser when she was 15. The $500 raised in the first year went to the cardiology office in St. Louis where Erica was treated.
The second year’s fundraising proceeds – also $500 – went to the Kati Fisher Memorial Scholarship fund for Northwest High School students. Bob and Nancy Fisher began the scholarship fund after their daughter, Kati, died in 2006 from a heart condition when she was 13 and a seventh grader at the Northwest R-1 School District’s Valley Middle School.
The scholarships are awarded each spring to Northwest High seniors.
Erica again will donate the proceeds of this year’s fundraiser to the scholarship fund, her mother said.
Britain, a teacher at Pevely Elementary School, said she knows the Fishers and encouraged Erica to donate the proceeds from her T-shirt sales to the scholarship fund.
When Kati was born, Britain was a student at Northwest High School, and she was a teacher at the Northwest district’s Cedar Springs Elementary when Kati died.
Kati’s dad, Bob Fisher, was a longtime Northwest High School science teacher and football coach who retired in 2017.
“I was involved in extracurricular activities, so I knew Coach Fisher’s daughter was born with a heart defect and was spending some time in the hospital,” Britain said. “It seemed to hit really close to home for me when I was pregnant with Erica and at four months along, we found out that she had a heart defect. Immediately, Coach Fisher and his family came to mind.”
Erica Church receives one of the Kati Fisher Memorial scholarships in May 2023 from the Fisher family.
Erica said while she never knew Kati, she feels she can keep her legacy alive by donating to the scholarship fund formed in her honor.
“I feel like I’m doing something good in Kati’s honor but also helping the Fisher family, in the Fisher family’s honor,” she said.
How to get involved
Those who want to support Erica’s fundraiser may purchase T-shirts on her website, chd.spiritsale.com, until Jan. 31. T-shirts cost $10, crew-neck sweatshirts are $20 and hoodies cost $23.
Britain said the shirt’s design has special meaning to Erica and her family.
“That (electrocardiogram) line on the front of the shirt is actually one of Erica’s EKG lines,” Britain said. “A health-care provider would recognize that it is not a traditional-looking EKG line. Someone who has CHD might recognize that as well.”
Micki Hefley, owner of Oddball Ink in Arnold, produces the T-shirts and said they are a great way to spread CHD awareness. Her 2-year-old granddaughter, Charlotte, was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
“My granddaughter was born with half a heart,” Hefley said. “I know when we wear our shirts supporting our granddaughter, we’re questioned about it. It does give us the opportunity to explain what it means – almost no one knows what it means.”
Hefley said her granddaughter has undergone two surgeries and will have open-heart surgery this summer.
“Without the surgery, these babies (with CHD) could die,” she said. “A lot of these babies do need transplants at some point – that is a possibility.”
Erica said the quote on the back of her T-shirts has great significance to her.
“The saying on the back, ‘If it wasn’t easy, it wouldn’t be right,’ was something my dad (Jason Church) has always told me since I was young,” she said. “It always stuck with me. My dad still actively tells me that all the time, and it’s always been something close to me.”
Erica said she doesn’t have a set goal for her fundraiser, but the more T-shirts she sells translates to more scholarships for students.