In May of 2020, Elizabeth’s close friend passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. She tried to think of a way to support his family after this tragic loss – and wanted to give them a gift that didn’t involve food or flowers, since both are temporary.
That’s when Elizabeth and her family started Treebute. “Remembering our family’s tradition of planting trees for loved ones in our yards throughout the years, the power and symbolism of a living, lasting tree deeply resonated with our need to provide something more enduring,” she says.
Treebute’s purpose is grounded in providing a simple yet profound way for people to honor loved ones through trees that they see grow and thrive for generations.
Elizabeth connected with Martha, a landscape designer, through a mutual friend. Together, they started the Trees with Heart program in 2022: a collaboration bewteen Treebute and Martha’s family selling beautiful Eastern Redbud trees to benefit the SADS Foundation & the Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation.
Martha’s middle daughter, Anna Scott – who is now 21 – had recently been diagnosed with Long QT Syndrome (LQTS). Anna Scott’s diagnosis included genetic testing; once the gene that caused this syndrome was identified, her whole family was tested. Martha and one of her other children were also affected.
“I’d never had any symptoms,” says Martha.
Martha connected with the SADS Foundation after her diagnosis, watching the organization’s weekly livestream with a world expert from the Mayo Clinic and chiming in with her questions. “The resources
SADS provides to the newly diagnosed were invaluable to me and my family,” she says.
Since her daughter’s diagnosis, Martha had been looking for a way to spread awareness about conditions like LQTS – and give back to the SADS. That’s when Elizabeth and Martha came up with the idea for Trees with Heart.
“These trees are a beautiful way to honor a loved one that you’ve lost,” says Elizabeth. “Every time you look at your tree growing and blooming, you will be reminded of that person.”
Trees with Heart can be purchased as a group gift, too, for someone who has experienced a recent loss. Though the company is based in St. Louis, Missouri, they can ship trees anywhere in the U.S.
“Their foliage is heart-shaped – a perfect reminder to pay attention to your own heart health and unites with Treebute’s mission of honoring or remembering a loved one with a heart condition,” says Elizabeth.
You can learn more about Trees with Heart – and purchase a tree in memory of a loved one – here.