DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) – February is more than just the month of love. It’s also American Heart Month. It’s time to shine a light on heart health and spread awareness about adults living with congenital heart defects and the challenges they face.

Michael Landauer was born with a congenital heart defect in 1956, and his parents had little hope of survival, but they never gave up on their son’s fight for life.

“Doctors told my parents that your child is going to die. There’s nothing we can do for him,” Landauer said.

Despite the possibility of a congenital heart defect, Landauer continues to live a full life.

“He had his first surgery when he was three weeks old and is still undergoing surgery today. Doctors didn’t know what to do with patients with congenital heart disease, even if they were to survive. , that’s what I found out,” Landauer said.

He grew up in an era when doctors told parents not to talk about heart problems.

“The more we know about congenital heart disease and those who have it, the better the future will be,” Landauer said.

He hopes more hospitals can connect children with people who have faced similar challenges and provide guidance through health initiatives.

“I wish the hospital itself would set up, hey, why don’t you just go and go?” Why would this patient who has already been through it come and tell you about it now and guide you down the right path? Well, it doesn’t just tell us what’s going to happen, it doesn’t tell us what’s going to happen. ”

Landauer, now 67, has not only undergone multiple open heart surgeries, but is also a passionate advocate for those battling congenital heart disease.

“There is not enough treatment for congenital heart disease. Even by far, it is the number one birth defect. The following three do not equal the number of people born with congenital heart disease. . So the more awareness we raise, the more people will understand the need for this,” Landauer said.

Landauer is working with the Children Heart Foundation to fund groundbreaking research that pushes the boundaries for people born with congenital heart defects.

“I hope that research will go further because the number of congenital heart defects is increasing. Maybe in the last 20 years, they’ve done more and touched more children than ever before. It’s amazing that we were able to keep it alive,” Landauer said.

In May, Landauer will lobby with Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Iowa’s two U.S. senators, Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst.

According to the CDC, more than 2.4 million people in the United States have congenital heart defects, 1 million of whom are children.

Congenital heart defects affect approximately 1 in 100 births in the United States each year and are the most common type of congenital heart defect.

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