After a healthy pregnancy, great prenatal care, and being given a clean bill of health at the hospital, Kristine took her seemingly healthy, pink-toned newborn Cora home in December, 2009.

Three days later, she was feeding Cora when she suddenly stopped breathing and died in her arms. She learned from the coroner that Cora had a critical congenital heart defect.

Kristine has since become an advocate for newborn heart defect screening. She championed thorough CCHD screening legislation in her state and started the organization Pulse Ox Advocacy to help other advocates across the world, with a goal of saving other mothers the pain of learning about their child’s heart defect from the coroner.