Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week

Heritage Elementary participated in Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) Awareness Week from February 10-14th.   Our goal was to raise awareness of CHD and honor the brave children living with “heart boo-boos.” 
During that week each class made cards for “heart heroes” living today, exercised to honor the “heart hero” assigned to their classroom, and donated pantry items for families in the Cardiac ICU and Step-Down Unit at Children’s Hospital.

Congenital Heart Defects are the number one birth defect in the United States, affecting 1 in 110 births.  Up to 1.3 million Americans alive today have congenital heart defects.  Nearly twice as many children die from congenital heart defects in the U.S. than from all forms of childhood cancer combined.  Cardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of death for children age 15 and younger, and CHD's claim about 3,600 lives per year. 

Despite those statistics, most people are still unaware that Congenital Heart Defects exist.  Over the years, many have worked hard to make the week of February 7-14, Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week.  The goal is to raise awareness and to honor the many heart heroes that are living today.

Each month Mended Little Hearts takes 25 Care-Bags (filled with personal care items/snacks/and children's items) to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.  They also take pantry items each month for the families in the Cardiac ICU and Step-Down unit. 

www.swpa.mendedlittlehearts.net
www.mendedlittlehearts.org