DJ's Hope 4 Hearts' mission is to provide financial support to families that struggle during challenging times, or during the hardships due to a sick child. Our primary focus is dedicated to the healing hearts of children so that he or she can grow in love, peace, and happiness.
Our vision is to help children and families when life changing events take place and to provide assistance to as many children and families as possible.
We provide financial assistance when a new diagnosis or emergency situation arises by helping families with food, travel expenses, and lodging needs. This assistance is provided to heart families who demonstrate a great financial hardship.
Our mobile toy chest offers a child facing a hospital stay the opportunity to dig into the toy chest, pick out a favorite toy, and bring it with them in order to help ease some of the fears they may be experiencing about their stay or procedure.
Regardless of your financial situation, we provide either meal vouchers or gift cards to your hospital cafeteria, local restaurant or even a grocery store to help ensure healthy food options continue for any family struggling with an illness or financial hardships.
DJ's Hope for Hearts was founded in 2012 to honor the memory of its namesake, DJ Merriman. DJ's heart was damaged by a virus when he was 17 months old, he was dependant on a pacemaker to keep his heart pumping. DJ was a well-loved young man who tried to make a difference in the lives of others, always helping anyone who was in need.
On the Saturday prior to his death, DJ noticed an elderly woman standing in the checkout line in front of him at a Giant Eagle store. The woman didn't have enough money to pay for her groceries and in a typical generous gesture he provided the lacking funds. "That's just the way he was," Merriman said.
Our YouTube channel features videos about DJ's Hope 4 Hearts and DJ.
Pediatric cardiomyopathy is a rare heart condition that affects infants and children. Specifically, cardiomyopathy means disease of the heart muscle (myocardium). Several different types of cardiomyopathy exist and the specific symptoms vary from case to case. In some cases, no symptoms may be present (asymptomatic); in many cases, cardiomyopathy is a progressive condition that may result in an impaired ability of the heart to pump blood; fatigue; heart block; irregular heartbeats (tachycardia); and, potentially, heart failure and sudden cardiac death.
