HeartKids WA - Heart to Heart Ball 2012
Xavier, the miracle baby
HeartKids Ball in The West Australian Social Pages
HeartKids WA - Look at You Now
Louis Leeuwin Teen Adventure
Summer Newsletter 2011
2863_HeartKids_WA_Newsletter_Summer_EMAIL_new.pdf
Spring Newsletter 2010
2661_HeartKids_WA_Newsletter_Spring_5.pdf
HeartKids - on Channel 10’s The Circle
HeartKids announces new major sponsor - Retail Food Group
RFG franchisees hope to raise over $1 million in the next 12 months from tasty HeartKids Combo’s and customer donations.
Up to $1 from each HeartKids Combo will be donated to HeartKids – a charity devoted to supporting children and their families affected by Childhood Heart Disease and funding much-needed research. The HeartKids Combo varies between the RFG brands and include:
• Donut King: A regular coffee and heart donut
• Michel’s Patisserie: A small coffee and heart cupcake or heart lamington
• Brumby’s Bakeries: A sandwich loaf and four heart cupcakes
• Brumby’s Go!: A regular coffee and heart slice
• bb’s cafe: A small coffee and heart muffin
• Big Dad’s Pies: A pie and heart lamington
HeartKids is Australia’s only charity solely focussed on the needs of children and their families affected by Childhood Heart Disease (CHD)
“Awareness of CHD has been one of our greatest challenges”, HeartKids Australia CEO, Mr McWhannell said.
“People and even governments are unaware CHD is the most common birth abnormality and greatest killer of young Australians. Most people think it’s cancer, yet Childhood Heart Disease takes twice as many lives and more than all other childhood diseases combined”.
RFG’s sponsorship gives HeartKids a fantastic boost towards providing full-time family support to heart kids and their families across the country. Presently our resources only allow for part-time Family Support Coordinators in each of the major children’s hospitals and as a result many families, especially those in regional Australia, receive very little if any support.
Mr McWhannell said that RFG’s support will also help HeartKids advocate for more research in to the causes of CHD, including directly-funded research projects.
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the support for the HeartKids cause from the whole RFG ‘family’ of corporate management, franchisees and staff”, Mr McWhannell said.
“All 1100 stores are displaying donation boxes and brochures on their counters to help assist raise awareness and financial support for the joint initiative. It’s marvellous.”
“They have made the future brighter for thousands of HeartKids and their families across Australia.”
“We extend a heartfelt thanks to RFG and all the franchisees for this generous and significant level of support.”
Meet Josh, the 1-in-50,000 boy whose heart skips a beat
ELEVEN-MONTH-OLD Josh Martin cries when he sees adults dressed in white.
They are a reminder of the many major operations he has endured in his short life – including a one-in-50,000 procedure to insert a pacemaker into his tiny chest.
Josh was born with a congenital heart disease.
The Hocking baby had two rare abnormalities, one in his arteries and the other in his left ventricle, which stopped half of his heart from working.
At eight weeks old Josh had his first open-heart operation – a four-hour ordeal at Princess Margaret Hospital to increase the amount of oxygen reaching his lungs.
“I felt so helpless,” Josh’s mother, Jodi, told The Sunday Times. “Josh was taken to intensive care after the surgery and he just looked so tiny. He was covered in wires and tubes and only machines were keeping him alive.
Josh went home six days after the operation but, Mrs Martin said, he was in a lot of pain. “It felt like I had a newborn again,” she said. “He didn’t like to be touched or even looked at by strangers. Every time he coughed, yawned or hiccupped he would be in tears.”
In February, PMH pediatric cardiologist Luigi D’Orsogna found Josh’s heart was missing every second beat. It had a blockage that was putting Josh’s life at risk by restricting blood flow.
Dr D’Orsogna fitted Josh with a pacemaker – an operation that only one in 50,000 babies needs. The pacemaker helped Josh’s heart beat if it dropped below 60 beats a minute.
Josh had a second open- heart operation in May.
This time doctors completely reworked the “plumbing” in and around his heart. After the six-hour operation, a potentially-fatal blood clot formed.
Mrs Martin and husband, Neal, thought they were going to lose Josh.
“It was like I was having an outer-body experience,” Mrs Martin said.
The clot was removed and Josh is recovering well, getting stronger.
Heartkids WA is asking West Australians to hold morning or afternoon teas to raise money for children like Josh.
To find out more click here to go to the Cuppa for HeartKids website.
Heart Conditions - Detailed information for parents
HeartKids is pleased to offer this new online resource for people wishing to know more about the various heart conditions. The site includes details on tests, procedures and operations along with details on health and nutrition, exercise, schooling, adult congenital heart issues. Click this link to view the site: Heart Conditions – Detailed information
Coffee and Chat Mornings
This is an opportunity to share knowledge, hints & tips, stories and draw strength and encouragement from people in similar situations, over a cup of tea or coffee. There are plenty of toys and room to play for the children.When no additional meetings are planned for the quarter or
If you are not able to get to the Kalparrin mornings but are needing
support, please feel free to contact the Family Support Coordinator,
Cecilia Donovan, either at the office or on mobile 0417 417 203.
Read all about Kids Heart Research DNA Bank
Kids Heart Research DNA Bank. An initiative to help understand the cause of congenital heart disease.
Capture a Heart Competition
Fontan Registry for Congential Heart Disease Patients
Xavier Horsley’s Story
AMAZING & TALENTED FUNDRAISER - CORRINE BRISLIN
Little Ella has a big battling heart
HKWA 2010 Spring Newsletter
Help HeartKids - Channel 7 Sunrise Story
Kids with Heart - The Morning Show with Larry and Kylie
Peter Overton reports on Holly’s story - Princess of Hearts
HeartKids newsletters
HeartKids WA Spring 2010 Newsletter
HeartKids WA Summer 2011 Newsletter
HeartKids WA Autumn 2011 Newsletter
HeartKids WA Winter 2011 Newsletter
HeartKids WA Spring 2011 Newsletter
HeartKids WA Newsletter Summer 2012