Betsy and her husband Steve started The Children's Heart Foundation in 1996 after their son, Sam, died suddenly due to complications from his complex congenital heart defects. He was 8 years old. Doctors couldn't tell them why their son was born with CHD's or why he died from them. If it hadn't been for research, Sam would not have lived more than a day.

Betsy and Steve bravely responded to their loss by creating The Children’s Heart Foundation, whose mission is to fund the most promising research to advance the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of CHDs.