Open-Heart Surgeries Inspire Blanket Drive

It's been five years since Alexandra Olivadotti left the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for her son's last open heart surgery.

Just two days old, Christopher underwent his first surgery to address a major heart defect. The second came eight days later. Christopher, now 8 years old, had two more open-heart surgeries at 13 months and 3 years old.

Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome often requires immediate, emergency surgery after birth, with a baby quickly turning "blue" from the congenital heart defect. The heart's right ventricle is underdeveloped, and cannot get the proper amount of blood pumped from the right atrium.

Leaving CHOP, Alexandra, of Long Branch, saw a woman distributing quilts emblazoned with a heart pattern, an important symbol considering the open-heart surgeries.

The quilt made a world of difference to her son, and inspired Alexandra to organize a blanket drive of benefit for the cardiac intesive care unit at CHOP.

"When we left there was a woman who made handmade quilts with hearts. My son was never a 'blanket' baby. But, for some reason he loved this one," said Alexandra, who works in Toms River as a nurse.

"I always remembered what an important time this was and just that little gesture of a blanket was so heart warming. I wanted to do the same for other babies and families who have gone through this," she said.

She's collected dozens of blankets so far at drop-off points at businesses and day-care centers throughout Ocean and Monmouth counties. After the final days of collecting blankets this week, Alexandra will deliver the blankets to CHOP.

"This is the first year I am doing the blanket drive. I have done others in past that included toys, clothes etc. I have six businesses that are drop off points so we are pretty spread out to make it helpful to everyone," she said. She hopes to continue the drives in the future.

The drop-off points for now through Feb. 29:

• The  in Toms River
• Shear Glamour Hair Salon, 984 Route 166 in Toms River
• of Freehold
• in Little Silver
• Ultimate Fitness Gym in Ocean Township

For more information on the blanket drive, visit the event page, here.