CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — Braden Millikan, a Chesterfield elementary student, is using his personal experience to educate his peers on the importance of heart health after overcoming his own battle with heart failure.
Millikan was only 10 days old when he was diagnosed with heart failure caused by a virus that attacked his heart.
For 42 days, Braden fought for his life in the hospital, and his parents say his recovery was nothing short of a miracle.
However, the illness left him with a hole in his heart and a lifelong need for daily heart medication.
"If we had gone to sleep that Sunday night and took him to the doctor on Monday instead of going to Chippenham, he probably would have passed away, and no one would have known a cause, and it would just been considered SIDS," Braden Millikan's father Ian said.
Now, at his elementary school, Braden is giving back by partnering with the American Heart Association as an ambassador for the Kids Heart Challenge. The program aims to raise money for heart health research while teaching students about key topics like stroke warning signs, the importance of sleep, CPR, anti-vaping, teamwork, and positive thinking.
As part of the initiative, Braden shares his own story to inspire his classmates and promote heart health awareness.
"That they are not the only one, that they can still make friends," Braden said about what he tells other children who may live with similar ailments. "They don't have to be weirded out by themselves. They don't have to be scared."
Braden’s parents are grateful for the opportunity to share their son’s story, especially given how uncertain his future once seemed.
"He doesn't take life for granted. He's definitely all about experiencing as he much as he possibly can," Ian Millikan said.
The Kids Heart Challenge is part of a larger effort by the American Heart Association to raise awareness about heart disease and provide support for research and education on heart health.
Maggi Marshall has partnered with the Central Virginia American Heart Association as a leader of impact. She and other leaders are raising money over the next few weeks to go towards research and education about heart health. She has been sharing voices of those impacted by heart disease including her own personal connection to the cause.
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