Strutting Extra Hard This Year

I'm a fighter (fighter with a PICC line)

Go Red Strut! - Tuesday, February 12, 2013 in San Francisco, CA

The gorgeous room

I nearly forgot to post pictures from Go Red Strut! This is an event to raise awareness for Heart Health Month (February) and the hope is to help  and prevent heart attacks, stroke, heart disease, and good health. To see last year's pictures and blog, -Click here-

Two more survivors! These lovely ladies also had heart surgeries when they were young. They were also Strutters! 

I participated in this event to spread awareness of the AHA which funds the research that has kept me alive! As many of you know, I was born with severe heart defects. My defects include ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, pulmonary stenosis and transposition of the greater arteries. I’ve had five surgeries, at ages 2 months, one and a half years, 4 years, 7 years, and 15 years old. Two of them were open heart, the major repair being at age four. I try to be stay active, and eat right, and I lead a pretty normal life aside from having several surgery scars. Even though I'm as careful with my health as can be, I got released from the hospital a mere 12 days before the event for having Endocarditis, an infection of the heart valves. Thanks to research, they were able to send me home with a PICC line which is like a hardcore IV that went into my bicep, snaked up my shoulder and was a direct line for sending antibiotics to my heart. 12 days out of the hospital I was still moving incredibly slow but I couldn't miss the awesome chance to raise Heart Health Awareness and to wear a pretty dress! With what happened to me early this year, it goes to show that even when one is so careful, they are still at risk.

Runway!- I searched for hours for those red shoes the day before! 

Go Red Strut was so much fun! I spent almost two full days preparing and it took everything out of me. I was still pushing my antibiotics an hour before the event start! 

Twirling!

My besties, Mary and Tim kept me laughing and smiling. There is some video footage somewhere (taken by the AHA) of Mary and I dancing to music in our heads... Hope it never turns up! And did I mention there was a photo booth. =)

Not sure how Tim got the weirdest accessories.... But he sure got into the part!

Mary is channeling her "I am woman. Hear me Roar!"

Not sure what happened here....

Btw, I think I neglected to mention that: I GOT MY PICC LINE OUT!!! It's been two weeks and after about a week and a half of rest and reentering life, I finally feel much better. And I'm running again. Huzzah!

Possibly have some Ink Drawings coming out for sale later this week, stay tuned!

On the Catwalk

I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day, I know I did at Go Red Strut! As I mentioned in my last blog (which you can read by clicking here) I was going to be one of the Strutters for Go Red Strut-- a FUNraiser to raise awareness of Heart Health! I had a blast and somehow didn't fall down even though my heels were four inches.

All the Strutters were so great! There had to be at least 100 of them. There were Strutters on bikes, in balloon dresses, can-can girls, poodles, boxing cardiologists, and more... It was like the costumes changes of Lady Gaga! It was seriously epic! Every Strutter did their part to make the event SO MUCH FUN and to help raise awareness of the importance of heart health!

 On the Catwalk... Yeah on the Catwalk...

Here is where the emcee told the audience that I was a survivor of heart defects, so I pulled out my guns to show my tough side! Rawrrr!! I made sure to wear a dress that showed off my surgery scar, because I wear it proudly.

If you would like to donate to the American Heart Association, please visit www.heart.org

Also you can donate by purchasing some fairy art for that special weirdo in your life, and $1 of every product goes to the AHA. Visit www.etsy.com/shop/ClaireNoblesArt

Now for more pictures!!!!

 Before it started....

 Big Red Boa!!

I told you there was a poodle! (or maltese, not sure what breed)

These two were the boxing Cardiologists, figuratively "fighting" heart disease, doing push ups -- they were hilarious!

And the crazy people bicycling on the catwalk!!! (they were all telling me before they went up that they were afraid they'd bike off the stage! And they were thankful to be wearing sneakers instead of my shoes...)

Striking a pose!

 I think I meant to punch heart disease in the FACE!

Hope you all enjoyed the little slideshow, I might post more pics somewhere.... I'll link it if I do!

Thanks everyone who came to Go Red Strut! You made my Valentine's Day!!

STRUT!

Pleas join us for this FREE event!!

In celebration of Heart Month, the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women and Macy's invite you to GO RED STRUT

on February 14th, 2012

11:30am-1pm

Macy's Union Square, San Francisco, Ca!!!

This is the surprise I was waiting to share with you all-- I will be one of the "Strutters" for Go Red Strut. That means I get to wear my red sparkly dress and heels and walk a catwalk in front of tons of people. Just a bit of pressure. It's nothing I have ever done before and I just hope I don't bite it on the catwalk.

I am participating this event to spread awareness of the AHA. As many of you know, I was born with severe heart defects. My defects include ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, pulmonary stenosis and transposition of the greater arteries. I’ve had five surgeries, at ages 2 months, one and a half years, 4 years, 7 years, and 15 years old. Two of them were open heart, the major repair being at age four. I try to be stay active, and eat right, and I lead a pretty normal life aside from having several surgery scars. As long as I continue to be healthy, I won’t need another surgery for years to come. Otherwise, if my health is in jeopardy, I may have to have another surgery much sooner.

Thanks to research done by the American Heart Association, I am alive today. I am so excited to be supporting them and help spread awareness!

February is American Heart Month (and the month of Love!) This event will be amazing and I am so happy to participate in it! I hope that if you can come, that you will-- it would be so great to see your shining faces there to support the AHA and the fact that though I can't walk in high heels, I will be trying my best....


For all the details on this fab event, click here!
For more on the AHA, click here.
And check out their facebook page!