My name is Leanne Joyce and I am 22-years-old. I was born with Aortic Valve Stenosis; a heart condition that narrows my aortic valve, preventing proper blood flow. At some point in my life I will need valve transplants. I used to be a nationally ranked jump roper, a competitive swimmer and gymnast, but was unexpectedly told by my cardiologist, at age 12, to immediately stop sports because it was life-threatening. Jump rope and my teammates were a tremendous part of my life and identity. I became extremely devastated. One month prior, while in the hospital waiting for test results, teenage volunteers handed me a gift which completely relieved me of my stress and I knew I wanted to give back. I asked a supermarket about having a bake sale and was told that they only allow non-profits to sell items. I wanted to know the steps required to form a non-profit. I started my research and on November 30th, 2011 I began Positive Impact for Kids. Developing my non-profit was a beneficial way to focus my time, energy and desire to help others. My goal as President is to raise significant funds and awareness in order to improve the hospital experience for pediatric patients. I strive to decrease hospitalized children’s pain and anxiety while increasing their self-esteem. One of my goals was to raise $100,000 by my high school graduation in 2018. I am proud to share that this goal was accomplished one year early and I have now raised over $160,000. Thank you for taking the time to visit my website and learn about my goals for Positive Impact for Kids.
