Dear Shaun White,
I know a heart mom sent you an open letter earlier today. I want to say I understand exactly where she is coming from. I even shared the letter on my personal facebook page. She wanted you to spread CHD awareness, because you were born with a CHD. I understand exactly what she wants. I understand why she wants it. For I too was born with a congenital heart defect. I too am living with half a heart. I understand the complications from this life and I understand the stress. I understand we don't have enough awareness. I understand the want and need for more awareness and for big names like you to help us in our cause, your cause. But I felt the need to say, I understand you too.
I can understand you not wanting to be apart of the CHD community. I understand you not wanting to show the part of you that you just cant control. I know what it feels like to not have any control over you body. And to desperately want and need to have control over your body. So you ignore your CHD. I know what its like to have a scar, a scar you'll never get rid of. I know what its like to wish you didn't have to take those meds and wishing you never saw your cardiologist again. I get it, I really do. I choose to be apart of the CHD community. I love it. I love these kids and I'm glad of my choice. But I understand that you don't want to make the same decision.
I also understand that maybe, someone in your life that we just don't know about might be fighting childhood cancer. So instead of supporting CHD awareness, you support childhood cancer awareness. I get it, childhood cancer awareness is important too. My dad died of cancer, so I support cancer awareness also.
I also understand that maybe, possibly, you know that so much has been done for you that you want to give back. But maybe you just don't know how to give back. Maybe you possibly don't know what CHD is. You see, I didn't know what CHD was until I was told I needed another life saving open heart surgery at 19.
So you see Shaun, I understand that you might possibly have reasons that not everyone would understand. I want to say I do wish you could help us in or cause. But if you don't I wont ever hold it against you, because I understand. Maybe the reasons I listed aren't your exact reasons. But I'm sure you have one.
I also want to say I know the heart mom who wrote the first letter. I want her to know I agree with her. I wish we could get more CHD awareness. And I hope she doesn't take this wrong. I just felt the need to point out there might be reasons behind your decision. Good reasons, I know what it is like for people to question my decisions. I'm sure you have much more of that then I ever have. You're famous after all.
I just felt drawn to writing this. I just couldn't let it be.
