Community Corner

Flowers in the Moonlight: Moorestown Teachers Put Positive Spin on Scary Situation

Patrick and Julia Mooney collaborated on a book with 100 percent of the proceeds going to help children with congenital heart defects. They are expecting a baby in April, and he will have to undergo open-heart surgery as soon as he is born.

Two teachers at Moorestown High School are putting a positive spin on a scary situation.

Patrick and Julia Mooney are expecting a baby boy n April, but their coming miracle brings with it a scary situation. Their child will have multiple heart defects and will need open-heart surgery as soon as he is born.

“We've tried to jump start the right kind of attitude for my baby by taking positive action ourselves,” Julia Mooney said in an email. “An art teacher and artist, I wrote and illustrated a children's book with 100 percent of the proceeds going to children with congenital heart defects who don't have access to treatment. 

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"The book took countless hours of pregnant energy, painting, writing, editing, negotiating, and working with printers and distributors.  It's been a great way to pour my energy into something other than my anxiety over the baby's upcoming surgeries.”

The book is titled “Flowers in the Moonlight,” and proceeds go mainly to Gift of Life International, which provides treatment for children in emerging countries who suffer from congenital heart disease.  

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Books were on sale at the school on Friday for $19.99 and prints were available for $20. Friday afternoon, Julia Mooney said the event was highly successful.

“I went into this project wondering if I would sell any at all, but the community's response has been such a heartwarming surprise,” Julia Mooney said prior to Friday’s event.

Patrick, a Social Studies teacher at the school, wrote a poem for the book that introduces the Heart Fairy.

“She leaves hidden hearts in each illustration for readers to search for,” Julia Mooney said.

The book is available at flowersinthemoonlight.org.

There will also be an event on March 15 at Maestro Studios in Haddonfield. There will be live music and kid friendly food at that event.


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