Our Story
The Schmidt Healing Hearts Foundation was born out of the profound challenges we faced during Ryder’s fight against Heart Failure, CTEPH, and PVOD. Witnessing the emotional and financial strain on families like ours, we aim to provide support to children and young adults navigating rare diseases by offering hospital care packages and financial assistance for travel and medical costs.
We believe in the resilience of young adults facing rare diseases. We envision a world where they receive the care and support they need to thrive and pursue their dreams.
Our Mission
Our mission is to empower patients and families facing chronic heart and/or lung conditions, as well as organ transplant candidates and/or recipients by sharing hard-won knowledge, offering practical resources, and building a strong peer support community. As a grassroots startup foundation, we focus first on small but meaningful comforts—helping parents stay by their child’s bedside—while advocating for early diagnosis, better treatments, greater awareness, and continued research. Step by step, we are working toward a future where no child, young person, or family has to navigate this life-altering journey alone.
Our Vision / Purpose
Born from a moment of profound crisis, the Schmidt Healing Hearts Foundation exists to fill the gaps families face when a child or young adult is fighting a rare, life-threatening illness far from home. We provide comfort, practical support, and financial relief to families navigating transplants and complex medical systems that too often overlook their realities. Our purpose is simple and urgent: to restore dignity, stability, and hope when families are enduring some of the darkest hours of their lives.