2019–What A Year!

My, oh my! I hardly know where to start with this past year because it has been extraordinary. The year started off and ended with a focus on Logan’s health but we still were able to do ggreat things for Logan Loves.

In December 2018, Logan started facing some serious rejection of his heart that required 3+ months in the hospital and the fight of his life, resulting in a miracle of saving his heart function but not without collateral damage to his coronary arteries. Now, as we end the year right before Christmas, we are celebrating another absolute miracle as Logan received his second heart transplant officially on December 22, 2019.

In between, we found time to continue building Logan Loves through the absolute generosity of so many people. This allowed us to do some really amazing things this year but even more is in the works for 2020. Some highlights of 2019, in not particular order, include the following:

• ​Logan Loves Magazines! Ongoing purchase and support of magazines for kids and families in the Family Resource Center and Surgery Waiting Areas.
• Logan Loves Outside! Committed $5,000 toward the new “Dave Lee Outdoor Patio” at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital. This space will be a specific area dedicated to patients and families to have picnics and play games and be together in a safe, comfortable area with necessary accessibility. And flowers. We want it to have color and vibrant flowers to make kids smile!
• Logan Loves Rocket! Support of Rocket Tuffy, the new full-time facility therapy dog to help kids during their hospital stays. www.mhealth.org/blog/2019/nov-2019/new-facility-dog-and-handler-will-help-families-cope-with-hospitalization?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facility_dog_arrives
• Logan Loves Video Games! Paid final installment toward $10,000 commitment to supply video games, consoles and controllers for the gaming area in the Kyle Rudolph End Zone. We were able to complete this pledge two years ahead of schedule.
• Logan Loves Goodie Bags! Through the support of Hollstadt Consulting and the 5th grade Confirmation class at Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church, we were able to deliver gift bags for a Halloween celebration and also to be on hand in the End Zone for when kids ages 2 to 15 come to visit.
• Logan Loves Easter! The Easter Bunny came to deliver Easter baskets to the PICU/CVICU floors all while Logan was in the hospital working to recover from heart rejection and failure. Thanks to kids from St. Croix Lutheran Academy for helping to put them together and candy from Good Shepherd School, Logan and the Easter Bunny had fun tooling around the floor and leaving surprises for more 50 kids’ rooms.
  

We can’t wait for what 2020 will be as we are planning for so much fun! A partnership with Davanni’s, more Movie Nights, the NCAA basketball championship game, more goodies for kids with things we know they’d like, projects for parents that give them a bit of respite and something to take home and so much more.

our heartfelt thanks for the support of so many of you as we make our little Foundation that could...do great things!