Spend only a few moments with Kevin and Sharon Lamb and you’ll know exactly where their priorities lie. They have six children, Kali, 30, Cory, 28, Amy, 25, Kelsey, 21, Justin, 19, and Tyler, 4. Although the Lambs are owners of Advanced Tissue in Little Rock and spend long hours at their company, they always make time for their family. That is where their hearts are.

Their oldest son Cory was born prematurely and was diagnosed with hyaline membrane disease which causes respiratory distress. The procedures to correct the respiratory issues caused an injury to the heart. And, daughter Kali’s son, Parker (their grandson) was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome which means he was born without most of the left side of his heart. These personal experiences have ignited the Lamb’s passion for the Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the American Heart Association. That passion has inspired the family to encourage others to support both organizations’ missions, work and research.

Co-worker Martha Hendrix shares, “Cory’s early health challenges reinforced the importance of family for Kevin and Sharon. As their family grew they learned to depend on each other and work as a team. Although only young Tyler lives at home full time the large family still meets for weekly dinners. They spend time as a family as much as they can. It is not uncommon to see great-grandparents (Sharon’s parents), grandparents (Kevin & Sharon), the kids (Kali, Denise, Cory, Katherine, Amy, Tyler as well as Kelsey and Justin when they are home from college) and grandson (Parker) all out for dinner. They like spending time together. To watch the Lamb’s you immediately understand they are a family in every sense of the word. They support each other, they encourage each other and they care for each other.”

Kevin Lamb recently sat down with Little Rock Family to share a little bit about his family.

Little Rock Family: What were your initial thoughts and emotions when Cory was born?

KL: As young parents it was a frightening time; however, we knew his doctors were excellent and we had total trust in them. Cory’s birth and subsequent health challenges clearly put into perspective what was important and what was not.

What advice would you give parents who are going through similar situations?

Get the best medical care possible. Rely on the medical team to provide necessary information. Trust the decisions that are made are correct. And, of course have an appropriate amount of prayer.

How did you find out about your grandson Parker’s condition?

Our daughter Kali had what we thought was a typical pregnancy and birth. When the medical team was doing the standard vital checks on Parker they heard what they thought was a heart murmur. It turned out to be much more. They transported Parker to Arkansas Children’s Hospital and he had his first heart surgery when he was 10 days old. Since then he has had two additional surgeries. The second one was at 10 months. The third surgery was when he was 3. An interesting side note, the heart specialist who helped us with Cory was the first specialist we called when we found out about Parker’s condition.

What advice would you share with other grandparents who have family dealing with this type of experience?

You want to be there for your children, but every family is different. There is no right or wrong way to do things. Grandparents should take their cues from their children and be as involved as they want them to be. For us, we are a big family that has always spent a lot of time together so it was natural for us to be involved when Parker was diagnosed but that may not be the appropriate step for all families.

What are your hopes and dreams for Cory and Parker?

We want the same thing for each of our children, and for Parker. We want them to be healthy and happy. We want them to be productive members of our community, to work hard at something they love, and be the best they can be. We also want them to remember to those that much is given, much is expected.

When did your family first become involved with the American Heart Association?

We had always been aware of AHA; however, Parker’s heath was a slap in the face on the organization’s importance. Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is a perfect example of how far research has come. Since Parker’s birth, vast improvements have been made in the diagnoses and treatment of hypoplastic left heart syndrome. However, more research is needed.

Not long ago, children with complicated heart defects like Parker’s did not survive. Thankfully, because of ongoing research and improved technology, we have experienced a life complete with joy, laughter, and unending love. The American Heart Association funds research to find the causes and cures for congenital and pediatric heart defects. It invests more than $10 million on pediatric heart research yearly and has funded nearly 500 pediatric research studies nationwide over the past several years. This research is vital to ensure that the lives of others can be saved, enriched and enjoyed.

Central Arkansas Heart Ball
Saturday, January 25, 2014 • 6 p.m.
Statehouse Convention Center • Little Rock
CentralARHeartBall.AHA.Events.org
For more information, contact Tammy.Quick@Heart.org