Mother Of 2-Month-Old Batting Congenital Heart Defect Raising Awareness For Heart Month

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — February is American Heart Month, a time when women are encouraged to focus on their cardiovascular health.

For one local mom, heart month hits close to home — doctors diagnosed her daughter with a congenital heart defect.

“I was floored emotionally. I never imagined that I would hear anything like that,” Lynelle Lee said. 

For Lynelle Lee… getting the news that her daughter has a congenital heart defect came as a shock.

“Emotionally it’s taken us a lot as a family to accept,” Lee said. 

 Her daughter Avery was born with an atrioventricular heart defect.

“Congenital heart disease means that it’s something the baby was born with. During the gestational stage something didn’t form right within the heart,” Lee said. 

 It will require the two month old to undergo surgery — a road to recovery that’s been very emotional.

” I cry a lot. I pray a lot. I try to laugh a lot  too. Definitely try to put my pain that I feel into making sure that  maybe I can help another family and raise awareness for another mom.”

Lee is now turning her pain into purpose hoping to raise awareness of congenital heart defects.

“There are so many other families that are dealing with the same issues we are. We just don’t hear about it. One in 100 babies are born with a congenital heart defect right here in Charlotte. Get into your community and find out what resources are available to you,” 

Through her journey with Avery she’s found a passion to help others and a sense of peace for herself.

“Avery can live a very long fulfilled life once we’re able to get beyond this surgery. I feel like my strength in possibly wanting to help somebody else is really a peace for me and really bears witness to a miracle.”