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Building Ollie’s Legacy: Love, Hope, and Lasting Impact

  • Jennifer Hinkle
Hinkle family holding a photo of Ollie.

Building Ollie’s Legacy: Love, Hope, and Lasting Impact

Honoring a Child Lost to Congenital Heart Disease

Our lives changed forever the day we said goodbye to our sweet Ollie. The pain of that day will always be a part of us, but what has carried us forward is love—love for Ollie, love from our community, and love poured into action for families walking a similar path.

At the Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation (OHHF), our work is rooted in honoring Ollie’s life by transforming our grief into hope for others. Building his legacy means creating lasting impact—supporting families facing congenital heart disease (CHD), amplifying their voices, and helping them thrive in the midst of unimaginable challenges.

Spreading Love Through Direct Family Support

We provide individualized support to ease the hardships experienced by heart families—whether through direct financial assistance to families struggling to meet basic needs, care packages to wrap families in love during difficult times, or community events that build bonds with others who’ve walked in their shoes.

Barrier-Free Mental Health for Heart Families

Through Ollie’s Branch, our mental health support program, we’ve expanded access to care that has historically been out of reach. Families are matched with compassionate therapists who walk alongside them, helping to lighten the emotional weight of living with CHD. This barrier-free mental health support recognizes that healing the heart you can’t see is just as vital as medical treatment.

Technology and Research to Advance Pediatric Heart Care

To improve outcomes in pediatric heart care, OHHF collaborates with innovators on cutting-edge advancements like pediatric cardiac technology and partners with global organizations to support increased access to high-quality and affordable care. Families deserve not only hope, but also innovation that transforms the future of pediatric cardiology.

Take Heart: Shaping the Future of Pediatric Heart Care

Our Take Heart Conference shifts the focus from reactive problem-solving to co-creating the future of pediatric heart care. Through education, consulting, and collective impact, we bring together clinicians and families to build an equitable standard of care that truly centers the voices of heart families.

A Community That Keeps Ollie’s Light Alive

With the continued generosity of our supporters, we’ve been able to grow Ollie’s legacy into something larger than we ever could have imagined—fueling programs that create hope and change lives. None of this would be possible without those who walk beside us—our donors, partners, volunteers, and community.

Ollie’s legacy is not just about what we’ve built—it’s about the countless lives touched along the way. It’s about giving families hope, creating access to care, and proving that even in the face of heartbreak, love has the power to transform.

💙 Join us in carrying Ollie’s legacy forward—donate, volunteer, or partner with OHHF to spread more love to heart families: https://theohhf.org/get-involved/

1000 667 Jennifer Hinkle

Jennifer Hinkle

Co-Founder, Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation

All stories by : Jennifer Hinkle
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CONTACT US
info@theohhf.org
144 W. Lockwood Ave, Suite201 Webster Groves, MO 63119

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MEGAN BITTLE - Chairperson

President & CEO of RSI Kitchen & Bath

KYLEY PRUITT-TATE - Vice Chairperson

Senior Director of Talent Acquisition, Advantage Solutions

KATY LINNENBRINGER - Member at Large

Member at Large Criminal Defense Attorney, Pelikan & Orris LLC

STEPHANIE DETERDING - Financial Chairperson

Managing Director, Crux Climate

DR. LESLIE DAVIS

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Relationship Coach in Private Practice Heart Mom

NYTASHA TAYLOR

Vice President Drug Sourcing, Express Scripts

MATT DUNAWAY

CEO, Tarlton Realty Heart Dad

ROBBIE DEALEY

Operations Manager, Missouri Center for Public Health Excellence Adult Heart Warrior

RICK PUDER

Retired Senior Leader in Customer Experience, Training, and Sales Enablement Adult Heart Warrior

LINDSEY CARLIE

Bunge – Global Talent Acquisition Manager

TEMEKA GAUSS

Advise and Counsel Lead, BJC Healthcare

LAUREN SHELLEY

Chief Operating Officer, Jasper Paul PR & Marketing Adult Heart Warrior

KATIE PUTNAM

Partner at Husch Blackwell

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Jenn Hinkle was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, and attended DePaul University in Chicago, where she graduated in 2004 with a degree in marketing. Jenn’s early career began at Gibsons Steak House in Chicago, where she gained invaluable experience in hospitality and met her soul mate. Chicago is Jenn’s second home, but St. Louis called her back to start the next chapter of her life with Mark Hinkle. Jenn’s career in the restaurant industry continued to flourish as she welcomed her first child, Maddie, into the world in 2009. Then shortly after, along came Oliver in 2011.

Ollie was born with a congenital heart defect (CHD) that took their family in and out of the hospital for nearly 14 months. Unfortunately, he lost his battle with CHD in 2013. From this experience, the Hinkle’s set out to take their love for Ollie and all the love they were shown and share it with others. Jenn and Mark know firsthand the heartache and struggle of having a critically ill child and what a difference even the tiniest gesture of love can make. They took the pain and grief they felt and turned it into a way to give back to help them heal and, at the same time, spread more love to the heart community than they could ever imagine through the Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation (OHHF).

The Hinkle’s started investing in technology and research through the Children’s Heart Foundation, where they also served on the board for 3 years. Through that experience, they decided that they also wanted to provide outreach and individualized support to heart families. Today OHHF is a successful and influential organization thanks to Jenn’s leadership, as she positioned the team and programs to be the go-to resource for heart families and healthcare professionals in St. Louis and beyond. In addition, Jenn and Mark co-own the Olive + Oak Hospitality Group, where they have established their home in the Webster Groves community with their two daughters, Maddie and Annie, and fulfilling Ollie’s legacy.

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Born and raised in Alton, Illinois, Mark fell in love with food at an early age. When he wasn’t terrorizing the neighborhood with his three brothers, he would indulge in his favorite cooking shows featuring the likes of Emeril Lagasse, Jack McDavid, and Martin Yan. Never foreseeing a “career” in food, he attended the University of Illinois and pursued a degree in business. To earn a little cash, he worked in kitchens in Champaign. After graduating, he moved to Chicago, where he landed a job in banking. Though it all looked great on paper, he couldn’t resist his true calling with one of the most outstanding restaurant cities in the country at his fingertips; the banking gig didn’t last long.

He took his first front-of-house job working at the perpetually busy Hugo’s Frog Bar and Fish House. Under some of Chicago’s best Maître D’s guidance, he learned how to run a great restaurant. While he never lost his passion for the kitchen, he followed his dreams of delivering old-school hospitality. After stints within Gibsons Restaurant Group, at RL and Gibsons Steakhouse, he earned a spot as General Manager of Hugo’s at 25 and swept his true love off her feet. In early 2007, Mark and Jenn moved back to St. Louis to tie the knot, start a family, and join what was becoming an inspiring local restaurant community.

After acting as General Manager for two restaurant openings, Mark eventually found a home at the Chesterfield landmark, Annie Gunn’s; he found his niche there. His passion for not just the guests but also food, wine, beer, cocktails, and all aspects of the business evolved. In 2015, after falling in love with the character and charm of Webster Groves, Mark set out to bring something new to the neighborhood his family called home. Determined to create a warm, bustling spot with thoughtfully prepared food and gracious hospitality, Olive + Oak was born. As additional opportunities in Old Webster presented themselves, the group expanded, opening The Clover & the Bee, O+O Pizza, Perennial on Lockwood, and a private event venue, The Hall.

Mark’s leadership and impact on the local restaurant community have been profound, putting Webster Groves on the map for some of the best culinary delights and wine pairings in town while creating awareness about pediatric heart disease through their family’s story.

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Beth grew up in St. Louis City as an only child and a fierce point guard at Bishop DuBourg Highschool before leaving St. Louis to fill her desire to see and know the world after completing her BSN at Deaconess College of Nursing to start her career in Colorado then onto California where she trained at the University of California-San Francisco as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP). Then onto Arizona as an NNP for a private practice Neonatology group before being recruited as the Program Director of Fetal & High-Risk Cardiac Infant Programs, Outpatient Cardiology Supervisor, & Cardiac Nurse Practitioner before returning to St. Louis in 2012 to spend the next nine years of her career with BJC Healthcare System, first as a manager then as their Director of The Heart Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital & Washington University, Cath Lab & Recovery, Mechanical Assist: ECMO & CRRT, Perfusion, Interventional Radiology, Care Coordination along with serving as the Chief Advanced Practice Provider for St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Barnes Jewish Hospital.

As Beth’s career path took her back to her hometown, it was clear that so much had remained unchanged in healthcare and racial inequities. Beth credits Amy Hunter, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion of Caleres, for entering her life and inspiring her to do more to move the needle at St Louis Children’s Hospital regarding race equity culture and dismantling oppression. Beth is committed to doing her own personal work along with leading and infusing racial equity work into everything she touches, for example, by developing the Antiracism Coalition Oversight Board for the Cardiac Service Line, executive leadership support of the Black Hair Care Project, and leading a comprehensive DEI strategic development and deployment plan.

Beth was honored to join the Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation (OHHF) in 2018 to serve as a board member supporting OHHF’s mission. This role allowed Beth to be a thought partner for OHHF’s strategic direction to keep putting the “Heart Back in Healthcare” by eliminating barriers to mental health care while serving as a liaison between OHHF with local children’s hospital(s) and services to cultivate relationships focused on community involvement and philanthropy to provide financial and social benefits to the greater heart community.

As one chapter closes, a new chapter begins for Beth Rumack as the Director of Partnerships with the Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation to serve our local and national community bringing Ollie’s Branch to new markets to eliminate barriers to access to mental health care, impact state, and federal policy, and address social determinants of physical and psychological health through a collective lens.

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Helpful Resources
  • Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
  • Crisis Text Line: Text “DESERVE” TO 741-741
  • Lifeline Crisis Chat (Online live messaging): https://988lifeline.org/chat
  • Self-Harm Hotline: 1-800-DONT CUT (1-800-366-8288)
  • Essential local and community services: 211, https://www.211.org/
  • Planned Parenthood Hotline: 1-800-230-PLAN (7526)
  • American Association of Poison Control Centers: 1-800-222-1222
  • National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependency Hope Line: 1-800-622-2255
  • National Crisis Line – Anorexia and Bulimia: 1-800-233-4357
  • LGBT Hotline: 1-888-843-4564
  • TREVOR Crisis Hotline: 1-866-488-7386
  • AIDS Crisis Line: 1-800-221-7044
  • Veterans Crisis Line: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net
  • TransLifeline: https://www.translifeline.org – 877-565-8860
  • National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262)
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Ollie’s Branch Waitlist Form

Are you a heart warrior, parent/guardian, or caregiver seeking Ollie’s Branch mental health services in an area where we do not have a current partner? Send us a message to add yourself and place your name and information on our waitlist should Ollie’s  Branch become available in your state. We will contact you in the future to see if you may be interested in our services.

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Danny Sullivan’s Story

Danny died in his teens from congenital heart disease (CHD) during surgery at Children’s Hospital in the 1950s. Danny was one of the earliest to experience an open heart operation for this condition. Thankfully, this type of surgery is much more successful all these years later. But the mental challenges Danny’s parents and siblings faced then are still challenging heart families today. Kathleen Sullivan MacDonough, Danny’s oldest sister, decided to fund Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation’s Telehealth solution to fill these mental health gaps for heart children and their families in Danny’s memory.

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