It's hard to believe that within 36 hours of his birth, Charlie was in the neonatal intensive care unit of Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, facing the same arduous journey that 40,000 newborns confront each year. Charlie was born with a congenital heart defect that he had only a 1 percent chance of developing. Thanks to a simple procedure, Charlie's now a healthy youngster who visits his cardiologist once a year.

Charlie's diagnosis would have meant certain death 40 years ago, and even though he's currently free of complications, his family is working to ensure that no child has to endure the same thing.

Danna Pintner, Charlie's mother, had begun volunteering with the American Heart Association in 1998, two years before she had Charlie. She participated in their yearly heart walk through her employer, Network Appliance.

But her son's difficulties gave her a new reason to dedicate herself to the cause.

Charlie arrived prematurely on Aug. 12, 1999 and was whisked to the neonatal unit at El Camino Hospital, weighing only 4 lbs., 9 oz. The next morning, his doctors were concerned about his oxygen levels and called in a pediatric cardiologist.

The diagnosis was pulmonary stenosis, a membrane blocking the pulmonic valve. The right ventricle of his heart was working overtime, but blood wasn't getting to his lungs. After transport to Stanford, doctors suggested a balloon valvuplasty.

The procedure involves the placement of an inflatable balloon in the valve to tear the unwanted membrane and improve blood flow. While the initial operation went well, Charlie remained in the hospital for 35 days and weathered three more procedures, including a second valvuplasty at the end of August.

After that procedure, Charlie's blood pressure plummeted due to internal bleeding and his lung partially collapsed. But he pulled through and was discharged on Sept. 15, around the time of that year's heart walk.

Danna has since overcompensated for missing that event.

"In 2000, I started going real crazy," she says. In addition to raising funds through the walks (with Charlie in his stroller), Danna started making rice krispie treats to sell at work, which garners approximately $1,000 a year.

On July 19th, the Pintner family held its third annual garage sale, with all proceeds going to benefit the association. Friends, family and co-workers volunteered their time and goods to the cause. A local dress shop, Gloria's Fine Fashions, donated dress racks to display clothes. AHA also supplied old computers after updating those in its offices, which the Pintners sold for about $60 each. These big-ticket items helped this year's total sales to $922.08.

Rebecca Geshuri, Danna's co-worker at Network Appliance and organizer of that company's community outreach efforts, counts the Pintner family among her greatest volunteers. The night after the garage sale, Danna and her husband, Steve, were helping out with Summer Symphony 2003 for the Palo Alto­based Children's Health Council.

"They're amazing. They have a personal reason, but it goes beyond that," Geshuri says. "Danna's always thinking out of the box. I support whatever she wants to do."

Danna's relationship with the heart association began before Charlie was born, but it was natural for her to step up her efforts. "Other than the federal government, they are the greatest provider of funds for research," she says. "Only 7 percent of their donations go to the AHA, while the other 93 percent goes to research." This research is addressing problems like Charlie's and working to correct them in safer ways. "Our cardiologist believes that there'll be a day when it'll just be a simple laser procedure," Danna says.

Charlie endured much more invasive operations and may require more, but the necessity will become apparent as he and his heart grow. For now, other than his yearly doctor visits and cautious watch from his parents, he's just fine.

Danna says, "He hasn't realized that other kids don't do the same thing." Later in life, certain activities will be off-limits, like mountain climbing and scuba diving. "He won't be able to be a pro soccer player. Maybe baseball," adds Steve, an ardent sports fan.

One thing Charlie can be is a big brother. His twin sisters, Sophie and Amy, were born last October. Their risk of developing similar complications was a slightly elevated 4 percent, but an echocardiogram performed before birth ruled anything out.

Charlie and Steve completed the heart walk last year in Danna's place while she was on bed rest.

With full-time jobs (Steve works for Lockheed) and three small children, staging these fundraisers is not an easy task for the Pintners. Thankfully, Danna's parents live in Cupertino, and friends and extended family throughout the Bay Area and the rest of the United States pitch in to help. "We get to clean out our garage every year," cracks Jack MacIntosh, Danna's father.

To contribute or to take part in the American Heart Walk on Sept. 21 at West Valley College in Saratoga, call the Santa Clara County Division of the American Heart Association at 408.977.4950.