Non-Profit

8th Annual Graeme's Run Gearing Up for Race Benefitting CHD Research

November 08 2022

The Graeme McDaniel Foundation is gearing up to host their 8th Annual Graeme's Run at No Label on Saturday, February 25, 2023. This annual event aims to raise funds for congenital heart defect (CHD) research in honor of their young son, Graeme, who passed away due to a congenital heart defect (CHD) in 2015. After fundraising for CHD since learning about her son's condition, Stephanie McDaniel and family established The Graeme McDaniel Foundation last year, funding $150,000 in congenital heart defect research right here in Houston during their first year as a non-profit.

"What a gift to be able to share and remember our son in this way," said McDaniel.

Graeme McDaniel's Story

by The McDaniel Family (Robby, Stephanie, Mason, and Juliet)

On December 18, 2012, after a very healthy pregnancy, our son, Graeme, was born. We had an emergency delivery after the doctor detected his heart rate in the 70s at my 34-week appointment. He was diagnosed with Double Outlet Right Ventricle, Malposed Great Vessels, VSD, Coarctation of the Aorta, Straddling Mitral Valve, Aortic Valve Hypoplasia, and Complete Heart Block. He was rushed to the Texas Medical Center where he underwent a coarctation repair, a pacemaker was placed, and a pulmonary artery band was placed. With 2 surgeries under his belt, our little trooper was released from the hospital after 44 days.

After living a happy and for the most part normal life, we lost our sweet angel on May 3, 2015, at 2 1/2 years old. We were devastated and still are in complete shock, as we are left to try to find our new normal and purpose. We have decided to put our energy into raising awareness and funds for Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) research. We knew nothing about heart defects before Graeme and were saddened to learn:

Congenital heart defects are America’s and every country’s #1 birth defect. Nearly one of every 100 babies are born with a CHD.
Congenital heart defects are the leading cause of all infant deaths in the United States.
Each year approximately 40,000 babies are born in the United States with a congenital heart defect.
Thousands of children born with CHDs will not reach their first birthday, and thousands more will die before they are adults.

We began fundraising for congenital heart defect (CHD) research since the moment Graeme was born in 2012, and we first learned about CHDs. Nine years later, we started our own non-profit in his name, The Graeme McDaniel Foundation.

OUR MISSION IS TO FUND CONGENITAL HEART DEFECT (CHD) RESEARCH AND SUPPORT HEART FAMILIES.

While funding research is our primary goal, we look forward to supporting heart families as they travel for care. We take pride in our strong relationships with our local heart centers. We are constantly learning of these centers’ planned research projects and hearing how additional support from our Foundation can progress their hard work.

With some wonderful friends, we came up with the idea of a family fun run. We know everyone loves a good fun run, especially one that's close to home and brings awareness and funds to such a great cause. This will be our 8th year, and the date is set for February 25, 2023 (February is heart awareness month). In 2022, we had over 1,500 people in attendance and raised over $162,000 for CHD research. Our 8th Graeme's Run will be full of fun activities for everyone! We will have a 5K run and a 1-mile family walk in Old Katy starting and ending at No Label Brewery. We would love for you to be a part of this great community event.

Following the run/walk we will have No Label serving free beer, free food, live music, face painting, balloon animals, and more!

Thank you for reading our story and helping us honor our precious son.

To learn more about the Graeme McDaniel Foundation, please visit their website at graememcdanielfoundation.org.

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