- Harding Heart Day Walk: The Harding family and the Children's Heart Network invite community members on a short walk to raise awareness of congenital heart defects, Sunday, Feb. 13, 10:30 a.m., from Little Cates to Big Cates Park, North Vancouver. Free, but donations accepted. RSVP: 604-946-5494 or ccarriere@childrensheartnetwork.org.

Valentine's Day holds a special significance for North Vancouver resident Kerry Harding and her family.

It was that date in 2006, at their 18-week ultrasound, that she and her husband Scott found out their second son had a congenital heart defect. According to statistics from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, about one out of every 100 babies are born with some form of heart defect, ranging from a tiny hole never requiring treatment to a life-threatening problem.

Kerry and Scott were shocked to their cores and what followed were the most stressful months of their lives. They opted to name their baby Kailen, which means "strong warrior," and it's served him well. After undergoing open-heart surgery at two weeks old, he's shown incredible resilience, growing into a happy and active four-year-old.

Every Valentine's Day, Kerry, Scott, Kailen and his older brother Fraser take some time to reflect on their experience. "We celebrate how far Kailen has come and it's kind of like a bit of a birthday party," says Kerry, 36. "Even though that day wasn't something that I wanted to celebrate, it's something now that, in retrospect, I think is something we've come across in our lives for a reason."

Last year, the Hardings extended an invite to other families affected by congenital heart defects and hosted the first annual Harding Heart Day Walk in North Vancouver. They partnered with the Children's Heart Network, a non-profit organization that supports children and their families living with congenital and acquired heart disease. The second annual event is set for Feb. 13 at Cates Park. Not only does the walk date have significance for the Hardings, it's also held during Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week, marked Feb. 7-14. "It's about drawing awareness so that those people can come together and feel like they have a community of people that can support them," says Kerry, explaining that while donations will be accepted for the network, it's not a fundraiser.

When asked whether Kailen understands what he's been through, Kerry says he'll explain it by saying he has "a special heart," or that his "heart was fixed." He'll also show off his scars to his peers. "That's the one thing with these heart kids that they have in common. When you get them together, they'll open their shirts and they'll compare. . . . It's kind of like war wounds," says Kerry.

Kailen, as he had his surgery as a newborn, has no memory of the stressful days following his delivery. The same can't be said for his mother, who remembers every aspect in vivid detail. Following the initial discovery, doctors continued to investigate, determining he had transposition of the great arteries. He was delivered at B.C. Women's Hospital, weighing in at nine pounds and two ounces. "He was huge, which was actually a good thing for a heart baby because he had extra weight to work with," says Kerry.

Immediately, Kailen was transferred to the intensive care unit at B.C. Children's Hospital and additional defects were noted. At two weeks, he underwent open-heart surgery, which lasted for eight hours. There were complications and 24 hours later, Kerry and Scott were told he was going to have to be put on an Ecmo, a heart and lung machine, and his chance of survival was low.

"We were all prepared for this event to happen. . . . We had said our good byes and went back to the room we were staying in," says Kerry. However, an hour later, they received a call saying Kailen had taken a positive turn. "To me, that was him just being the fighter that he was from the beginning," she says, adding Kailen's resilience earned him a nickname early on: "Tough Guy."

He remained in B.C. Children's for two months until he was finally released from hospital, but the first year at home proved very isolating for the Hardings. Unable to expose Kailen to germs meant play dates were impossible, as well as time spent in the community. Visits from family and friends, despite their incredible support, were also rare.

Except for an angiogram at age one, Kailen hasn't experienced any further hospitalizations and has no restrictions on his activity level. He remains on medication and is still monitored closely. Every three months he's checked by a pediatrician or cardiologist

"His heart function isn't normal. It probably will never he normal, but it's the best it's going to be," says Kerry. "So now it's a question of his activity level: how much will he be able to push himself to do."

Despite the hardship her family has faced, Kerry has maintained a positive outlook. "I think it's given me a lot of perspective in terms of what is important in life, the little things, and also a great community of people that have been so supportive and allow me to be supportive now to other people."

Info: www.childrensheartnetwork.org.