• M.I.S.S. Foundation in the USA was started by Joanne Cacciatore after the death of her daughter. There are lots of different areas on this site and it is the place of the well known kindness project. The site is a little sad, informative, complex and surprisingly very uplifting.

Research articles

SchoolAndBehaviourProblems.pdf

Heart Angels

This Page is devoted to those children who have passed away as a result of Heart Disease.

Would you like to see your Heart Angel’s story on this page? If so, just write your story up, include some pictures and email it all to the HeartKids email at or contact us on (03) 9513 9030.

Photo courtesy of Tuesday’s Child Photography and the Gleboff-Barker Family

Jaime Ekberg 19/12/05 – 3/10/07

Jaime_Ekberg.pdf

Noah Bannister 29/03/04 – 7/04/04

http://families.hearts-of-hope.org/noah.b/

Owen Paul Crew 15/11/05 – 26/06/07

Owen_Paul_Crew.pdf

Erinn O’Brien

Erinn_OBrien.pdf

Stories intro

Would you like to see your heart kid’s story on this page? If so, just write your story up, include some pictures and email it all to the HeartKids email at or contact us at The Royal Children’s Hospital on (03) 9513 9030.

Campaign and Event Sponsorship

Throughout the year HeartKids conducts various campaigns including Cuppa for Kids www.cuppaforkids.org.au where you can download your favourite recipe provided by government dignitaries, celebrities, sporting personalities and our Ambassadors.  Once you register, you will receive a special cuppa pack to conduct your own Cuppa for Kids morning or afternoon tea with family, friends, co-workers, school friends or whoever you wish knowing all the funds raised go to our heart kid children and families.

Another campaign is Stick on a Smile where you can purchase special heart stickers through all Big W stores.  By purchasing these stickers you will bring a smile to our heart kid children.

Contact our Events & Communications Manager Sharon Elder or 0408 554 576 for further information and sponsorship on campaigns and events.  View also our Events under the News banner for more information on our exciting and unique events.

Corporate Involvement

HeartKids Corporate Membership is State based and is open to all businesses, associations and organisations.

In today’s competitive world, it’s important to get the balance right. Lending your organisation’s support to a worthy cause like HeartKids not only builds your reputation as a ‘good corporate citizen’, it makes your staff and clients feel positive about you, so they’re more likely to want to work for, and with, you.
Aligning your company with HeartKids gives your company the chance to promote your commitment to social responsibility and share the opportunity to express that commitment with your staff.

By taking up the opportunity to make a difference, your staff will not only gain great satisfaction, they’ll have the chance to build better relationships with their colleagues, utilise their skills in a new and positive way, and perhaps demonstrate some new skills that will build their own reputation and regard within the workplace.

If you would further information please contact HeartKids on 03 9513 9030 or email:

Free Registration

HeartKids registration is open to:

• Families with a child who has a congenital heart defect or acquired childhood heart disease. This includes parents, siblings, grandparents etc.
• Teenagers and Adults with CHD.
• To any individual or group concerned with the issues of congenital heart defects.

• To any individual involved in the issues of congenital heart defects and acquired childhood heart disease, be they from a medical background or the political arena.

HeartKids offers you:

• A seasonal Newsletter to keep you informed and updated
• Family Support Coordinators – present in hospital to offer you support at critical times and by phone and email as required
• Regular coffee mornings so that you can meet and share experiences with other families, these can be held either in hospital or in your local area, encouraging a local network of support for you and your family
• Opportunities for your heart child to attend events with other heart children
• Opportunities to attend special afternoon or evening information events by invited medical practitioners and other professionals as they arise

• Opportunities to participate in your areas of interest.

Click below to download the Registration Form
Registration_Form_09.pdf

Volunteers

VOLUNTEERING WITH HEARTKIDS

HeartKids Victoria provides support, advocacy, equipment and research for kids with heart disease and their families, but it is volunteers like you who make it possible.

Apart from employing people for specific and specialised roles such as direct Support Services and Event management, Heartkids is almost entirely composed of volunteers. From Board membership, Marketing, Financial management and Strategic planning, to work place activities, Family Fun Days, supporting one of our functions, secretarial work and newsletter distribution, we value and rely on volunteers. HeartKids Victoria offers a wealth of opportunities to become involved as a volunteer..… whether it’s regular hours in a week, or a day a year or as a ‘one off’, all of it is appreciated.

Together, we can make a real difference. Contact Di Gillies, our volunteer co-ordinator on 0438 002 749 or email and learn more about how you can help. Don’t forget to tell others about us and help spread the awareness that will ensure better outcomes for all heart kids.

ACTIVITIES YOU COULD CONSIDER

• Storytelling times at the outpatients Heart Clinic at the Royal Children’s Hospital.

• Hold a jumble sale, shopping mall or market stall. Either with your own sourced items or we can provide. Let us know if you need help, or can help us source more!
• Invite a HeartKids speaker to your local community group meeting to help raise awareness.
• Become a local collection tin distributor.
• Install a collection tin at work. We have plenty of workplace suggestions.
• Enter a sponsored activity like a Fun Run and make HeartKids your charity of choice. We can link you to our website to help you get sponsors.
• Talk to your employer about adopting HeartKids as charity of choice.

• Register HeartKids as a recipient charity with your local Ritchies supermarket, then a percentage of your shopping bill will be donated by Ritchies to Heartkids.

Contact us for more ideas!

HKV_Volunteer_Registration_Form.pdf

home page text

Welcome members, visitors and supporters of HeartKids.

The aim of this site is to provide useful information and avenues of support for families of heart children.
Please browse the site for information on:

• Our support services
• A list of our partners and supporters
• Upcoming events and regional news
• Our contact details and membership details and,

• Your stories – generously shared by the families affected by CHD.

Thank you for getting in contact with us

Enquiry Pack

Disclaimer

Please remember that the opinions expressed in any article herein represent personal experience only. MEDICAL DETAILS ARE SPECIFIC TO EACH INDIVIDUAL CASE AND MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE TO ANOTHER CHILD. Parents who require more specific information should check with their child’s own Cardiologist.

Also, please note, that the opinions expressed in the articles herein, are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of the committee of Heartkids Nsw Inc.

Further Disclaimer:

Graphics found on this site were not created by the webmaster. They were obtained from various sources on the internet that labeled them as “freely distributable”. If you should discover images in this collection which you recognize as copyrighted, please email the immediately so that they may be removed.

Our Contact Details

HeartKids Victoria including Tasmania

Heartkids Victoria Inc
Post: P.O.Box 803
Parkville VIC 3052

Email:
Web: www.heartkidsvic.org.au

Phone: 03 9513 9030
Fax: 03 9345 6765
This is a message bank service, please leave a message and we will return your call promptly.

For the Support Manager contact Tracy Stanley 0417 569 733
Email:

For media enquiries contact Sharon Elder 0408 554 576
Email:

Tasmania Contact Details

Melissa Bannister
Hobart Branch Co-ordinator
Email:
Phone: 03 6274 1481
Mobile: 0405 050 718

Kylie Smith
Launceston Branch Co-ordinator
Email:
Phone: 03 6393 6240

HeartKids Australia

HeartKids Australia Inc.
P O Box 204
WAHROONGA NSW 2076
Email:

For any Vending Machine enquiries contact Lisa White on:
Email:

Please call during work hours or leave a message on our phone line and you will be contacted within 24 hours. Office: 02 9487 8256
Web: heartkids.org.au

HeartKids State Organisations in Australia

Queensland

HeartKids QLD Inc.
Phone: 07 3341 8145
Fax: 07 3341 5460
Post: P.O. Box 118 UNDERWOOD QLD 4119
Email:
Web: heartkidsqld.org.au

New South Wales

HeartKids N.S.W. Inc.
Phone: 02 9294 0800
Fax: 02 4423 5812
Post: C/-Adolph Basser Cardiac Institute
Children’s Hospital Westmead
Locked Bag 4001
Westmead NSW 2145
Email:
Web: heartkidsnsw.org.au

Western Australia

HeartKids W.A. Inc.
Phone: 08 9340 7996
Fax: 08 9340 7997
Post: P.O. Box 1554 WEST PERTH W.A. 6872
Email:
Web: heartkidswa.org.au

South Australia

HeartKids S.A. Inc.
Ph: 0406 165 111
Post: PO Box 364 North Adelaide SA 5006
Email:
Web: heartkidssa.org.au

Northern Territory

Heart Kids N.T.
P.O. Box 848
Palmerston N.T. 0830

Merchandise

HeartKids is currently running a number of fundraisers to help us continue our support programs and raise awareness about congenital heart defects. To order please complete the order form below or call 03 9513 9030. Please pass on to your friends, family, work colleagues or anyone who may be interested.

HeartKids Teddy Bear $25.00

Our teddy bear is approx 26cm high, very soft and cuddly and features a HeartKids ribbon tied around her neck and our logo on her foot.

HeartKids Lapel Pins $5.00

Our lapel pin is approx 2cm high x 1.5cm wide.

HeartKids Travel Mugs $5.00

White plastic travel mug featuring HeartKids logo on the front. Approximately 15cm high.

Marco the Magnificent Book $9.99

Marco the Magificent book $9.99 plus $2.95 postage and handling, 10% of proceeds from this book will be donated to HeartKids.

To order please complete the order form and post to us Order_form_-_Marco_the_Magificent.pdf

Mini Hot Water Bottle with knitted cover $12.50

Miniature hot water bottle measures 24cm high x 15cm wide – two designs: red knitted cover featuring white heart or pink loveheart cover.

Herbie the Ouch $10.95

Help soothe your littlie when bumps and falls happen. Herbie the Ouch Pack will magically take the tears away. Available in Blue & Pink. Contains gel chill pack. Herbie the Ouch Pack is 18cm tall.

Herbie the Love Hug $24.95

Herbie the Love Hug Heat Pillow in super soft micro-velour with a red heart embroidered on for that special touch! Herbie is filled with organically treated wheat and soothing aromatic herbs. Herbie’s healing herbs and wheat gives moist heat to your body, soothes your muscles, relieves joint and neck stiffness, back and stomach cramps, arthritis, sinus, stress and relaxes your mind. Herbie can also assist swollen feet, bruising, fever, sprains and headaches – by placing in the freezer. Herbie the Love Hug is 33cm tall.

HeartKids Car Sticker $7.00

Measures 25cm x 5cm and features the website address.

HeartKids Bucket Hats $15.00

Available in Pink or Sky Blue in sizes S (50cm) M (54cm) L (58cm)

HeartKids Baseball Caps $15.00

Available in Black, Pink and White with adjustable velcro fastening at the back. Features HeartKids logo on front and HeartKids website on back.

HeartKids T-Shirts & Polo Shirts

Children’s & Adult sizes available

Children’s T-Shirt $15, Adult T-Shirt $20, Children’s Polo Shirt $20, Adult Polo Shirt $25
Front
Back

Order Form

Please complete an order form and send your order to us. Order_Form_10.pdf

HeartKids Coffee Mugs

The mugs are not suitable for posting – you can arrange to pick one up when you next visit the RCH or purchase one at a HeartKids function.

“Stuck On You” Labelling Solutions

Stuck on You has a fantastic range of products to organise your household – Labels, Tools 4 School, Shoe Labels, Luggage Tags, Personalised Journals, Star Charts etc. Now featuring The Wiggles. You can order on-line www.stuckonyou.biz – please remember to list HeartKids Victoria as the fundraising organisation, or call us and we can send you a brochure.

Sponsors

We want to take this opportunity to thank the following organisations for their support of HeartKids.

How to become a Sponsor

As a Charity with both State and National offices we welcome sponsors at both levels. For details on how to become a sponsor at a State level please contact us directly.

Email:
Phone: 03 9513 9030
Fax: 03 9345 6001

How to Make a Donation

You can help HeartKids make a difference in the lives of children with heart disease by generously donating. This will continue our vital services of supporting these children and their families as well as raising funds for research and items of need in the Cardiology areas of Children’s Hospitals in Victoria.

You can make a donation via our secure website or by post.
Online Donation – please complete the form below

Postal Donation – Please complete this form and mail to: HeartKids Victoria, PO Box 803, Parkville, Victoria 3052 or fax 9345 6765
Donation_Form.pdf

Bequest

What is a bequest?
A bequest is a gift that can be either named or anonymous. It is contained within a Will and specifically reserves part of an estate for a particular beneficiary.

A bequest may be:

• a sum of money from your estate
• a fixed percentage of your estate
• the residue of your estate
• shares, bonds, life insurance policies, artworks

• other personal property

Whilst we are mindful of the personal and sensitive nature of a Will, HeartKids appreciates knowledge of your intention to provide for HeartKids in the form of a Bequest so that we can thank you in your lifetime. All correspondence and information will be held in the strictest confidence.

HeartKids and bequests
HeartKids relies on the generosity of the community in order to run our activities for our Heartkids and their families. Leaving a bequest to HeartKids will ensure that these services continue to support our children and their families living with congenital heart disease.

A Bequest to HeartKids
For more information please contact Scott Reinke, President of HeartKids Victoria, on (03) 9417 0707 or by email at

Gifts in Memory

A Memorial Donation to HeartKids Victoria is a lasting tribute to the memory of a loved child who has passed away. It is also a meaningful alternative to flowers and gives families and friends the opportunity to support HeartKids in its work to ensure less children are born with heart disease and that mortality rates are improved.

Gifts in Memory form Gifts_in_Memory_Form.pdf

Join the HeartKids Community

Free Registration

Corporate Membership

Facts about Childhood Heart Disease

Incidence of Childhood Heart Disease is far greater than most people expect. Although it comes as quite a shock to family and friends alike, an astounding 6 babies each day in Australia are diagnosed with heart disease! Cures remain predominantly unknown and little in general is known about the disease and its causes. Therefore we need your help to assist in addressing this situation

Common known facts about CHD include;

• Heart defects are present in 1 in 100 babies
• Heart defects are the most common birth abnormality
• Heart disease in children is the leading cause of young children death in Australia, accounting for more than 30% of all childhood deaths.
• Childhood Heart Disease takes more lives than all other childhood diseases combined
• Nearly twice as many children die each year from congenital heart disease compared with all childhood cancers
• More than 2015 babies are born in Australia each year with a heart defect
• Childhood heart disease is no fault of the parents or the child. It is simply a result of the cruel hand of fate
• The severity of defects in heart children can range from a hole in the heart, to a highly complex combination of conditions
• Up to 20% of heart defects are gene-linked abnormalities, but for the remaining 80% the cause is largely unknown
• More than half of these conditions are serious enough to require treatment through medication or surgery – sadly some cannot be repaired
• Cures of these heart conditions remains unidentified, therefore there is an immense need to develop early intervention strategies to identify and prevent heart disease in children
• Heart disease is the most common reason for admission of Australian children to intensive care units with more than 1300 being admitted each year
• The term ‘congenital heart defect’ refers to an abnormality of the heart, which is present at birth. It has nothing to do with diet or obesity
• Heart valve replacements come in 3 forms: homographs (valves from humans) tissue valves (from cows or pigs) and mechanical man-made valves
• Some children acquire heart conditions during childhood, eg cardiomyopathy, Kawasaki disease or as a result of rheumatic fever
• A disproportionate number of indigenous children suffer from acquired heart disease – often as a result of rheumatic fever, which is rampant in many communities
• Heart Transplants are much more challenging for children as their immune systems are not fully developed

• The only Paediatric transplant unit in Australia is at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne

More than 4 young Australians will die this week as a result of congenital heart disease. Will you help to save them?

Sources:
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Australian Bureau of Statistics
American Heart Association

Our partners

coming soon

Annual Reports

Our history

Our Vision and Mission

Our Vision

Life unaffected by Childhood Heart Disease.

Our Mission

As the public face of Childhood Heart Disease (“CHD”) and through our active partnering with the medical community and Government, Australia will adopt best practice in the intervention, treatment and support for all those affected.

This will result in a reduction of incidence, decreased mortality, significantly improved quality of life and best outcomes for those affected by CHD.

This will be achieved through our work in support, awareness advocacy and research.

Who we are

HeartKids is a support group for families of children with heart disease, be it congenital (born with) or acquired. We started as voluntary group of parents and individuals dealing with and concerned about the day to day realities of raising and caring for children with cardiac conditions, and sometimes dealing with the loss of a child due to their congenital heart defect. We have grown to an organisation of some strength with a presence in almost every state of Australia, as well as a National body – HeartKids Australia.

Our members wish to offer their support to other families who are in crisis, providing opportunities to share common anxieties and challenges. We arrange, where possible, to meet with other families affected by the impact of life with a child with a cardiac condition and to create a ‘network of support’ for all families.

Over the years, HeartKids Victoria including Tasmania, with the help of members, sponsors and friends, has been able to help out the children’s hospitals by way of donations of money, equipment and research grants.

HeartKids has several regional representatives who offer their time to arrange coffee mornings and special activities in order to support families with a child with congenital heart disease. Telephone support is also offered. Our aim in this area is to ensure that parents aren’t struggling alone.

HeartKids produce seasonal newsletters which update and inform our members on patient progress, special ‘heart family’ activities, government policy, information of relevance, upcoming events and much much more. HeartKids news keeps our geographically diverse membership aware and ‘close’.

HeartKids can assist with information about your hospital stay, for example information on available accommodation, meals, transport and parking. We can also assist with information on the availability of certain hospital services such as social workers, occupational therapists, and speech pathologists.

Most valuable to our families during the crucial time of surgery are our Family Support Co-ordinator in Victoria and our Branch Co-ordinators in Tasmania. These co-ordinators are ‘heart mums’ and understand more than most what families are experiencing during the often tension filled hospital stays.

As well as offering support to families, HeartKids aims to increase awareness in the general community and corporate sector about the high incidence of congenital heart defects and its ongoing consequences.

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