HeartKids Queensland began as Heart to Heart Cardiac Support Group in 1984 as a parent support group. This was then a voluntary group offering support and assistance to parents of HeartKids having challenges. In the year 2004 after becoming HeartKids Queensland, they engaged their first State Manager together with a Family Support Coordinator located at The Prince Charles Hospital.
At that time, they widened the scope of their charter to not just providing support to heartkids plus their own families, but to in addition creating awareness in the community of Congenital Heart Disease (CHD), advocating for the better services delivery for heart kids, and to carrying out research into the various causes of Congenital Heart Disease. At the national level, this role is played by HeartKids Australia through pooling of resources and funds.
The HeartKids Qld Vision
We seek to life that is not affected by Childhood Heart Disease.
The Mission
To enhance the lives as well as the futures of all who are impacted those affected by CHD through offering high quality, information, advocacy, caring support and giving hope through driving quality research of world class levels.
The Work
HeartKids are committed to the provision of support, giving hope and encouragement to the families of kids having Heart Disease, while at the same time fundraising vital funding and awareness into the various causes of the chronic heart disease.
This is achieved through their work in Support, Research, Advocacy and Awareness:
Support Activities
HeartKids Queensland supports families having a kid with heart disease through:
- Engaging Family Support Coordinators in every main children hospital’s across Australia.
- Operating activities such as Teen Camps for teens impacted by CHD affected by around Australia.
- Helping families with accommodation and travel needs. • Running information seminar events.
Research Undertakings
HeartKids Queensland has developed an efficient, transparent and peer-reviewed process of identifying and allocating funding for research. This makes sure that the best value from the invested funds is obtained and that it achieves the biggest impact.
Advocacy Work
Great strides have been achieved over the last 20 or so years in terms of researching into the causes of Childhood Heart Disease, and in the improvement of care and treatment for those that are affected by it. Today more and more CHD kids are surviving and reaching adulthood to eventually lead productive and active lives with better care and management. Today, it’s no longer just about babies but about an increasing cross-section of teen and adult communities in Australia.
Overcoming Childhood Heart Disease is a ongoing challenge, other than that it won’t be easily won unless there is continuing high-quality clinical and social analysis plus advice that is based on an deep understanding of the patients need, recognizing what would work as well as what is required towards ensuring that the ability of caring and treating are sustained across Australia and beyond.
This is the reason why HeartKids has come together with the Australian and New Zealand Cardiac Society towards commissioning an independent professional to delve into the CHD environment, into current and the newly emerging patient plus family requirements, the obtainable support and treatment services, and identify the gaps which need being addressed so as to ensure that all of these strategies and measures are made as effective as practically feasible. The outcome of these joint efforts is the publication of Childhood Heart Disease in Australia “White Paper” that tackles the current practices and goes on to identify future requirements/needs.
Awareness Activities
Generally, very few people are actually aware of CHD - what it really is and or how a serious problem the condition is. Majority of persons will only remember the vague terms “Baby with Hole in the Heart” or “Blue Baby”. These are really conditions describing CHD but which in fact covers a broad range of heart conditions or complications. At HeartKids, they in addition include kids who might acquire other heart conditions like Kawasaki’s Disease and Rheumatic Fever therefore they frequently refer to CHD as broadly implying Childhood Heart Disease.
At HeartKids Queensland they are endeavoring to raise awareness of CHD via a variety of advocacy and campaign programmes.
Getting Involved
Volunteering
HeartKids provides a variety of opportunities for willing volunteers to get involved. They welcome and greatly appreciate any kind of assistance.
Donating
Donating towards the cause of HeartKids Queensland makes a real and genuine difference to the young people and children who are impacted by Childhood Heart Disease. They offer several methods of donating so that you could pick the one that best suits you.
Fundraising
Your efforts towards fundraising will help in continuing the out of hospital and in hospital support programs being run by HeartKids.
Partnering
No matter how small or big, HeartKids Queensland offers your company with the chance of making some difference in the lives of those who are impacted by CHD.
Purchasing Merchandise
HeartKids Queensland got merchandise products which you could buy to assist those impacted by Childhood Heart Diseases.
