Heart defects are diagnosed in at least 1 in 150 births - that's an average of 13 babies each day in the UK - with more being diagnosed later in life.
Founded in 2018, Heart Heroes is run solely by volunteers and currently works with the Dolphin Ward in Bristol Royal hospital, Heart Heroes have been able to provide direct support to children up to the age of 16 living with heart conditions and their families. They provide everything from subsidised social events in the South West for the whole family and to sitting and having a coffee with anxious parents in the ward.
An important part of Heart Heroes vision moving forward is to create a Heart Heroes app – The Heart App. The app will help support heart children and their families even further when it comes to hospital appointments and treatments. The app will support both children with fun games, challenges and even a virtual reality option so they can turn their doctor into a cartoon character, and a grown ups area for connecting with other cardiac families, access to specialists that can support both emotionally and with any medical questions.
This app will allow Heart Heroes' support to go beyond the Dolphin Ward so that children and their families across the UK will be able to benefit from it.
Founded in 2018, Heart Heroes is run solely by volunteers and currently works with the Dolphin Ward in Bristol Royal hospital, Heart Heroes have been able to provide direct support to children up to the age of 16 living with heart conditions and their families. They provide everything from subsidised social events in the South West for the whole family and to sitting and having a coffee with anxious parents in the ward.
An important part of Heart Heroes vision moving forward is to create a Heart Heroes app – The Heart App. The app will help support heart children and their families even further when it comes to hospital appointments and treatments. The app will support both children with fun games, challenges and even a virtual reality option so they can turn their doctor into a cartoon character, and a grown ups area for connecting with other cardiac families, access to specialists that can support both emotionally and with any medical questions.
This app will allow Heart Heroes' support to go beyond the Dolphin Ward so that children and their families across the UK will be able to benefit from it.
Kelly the founder talks more about Heart Heroes in the video below.
Maggie’s story...
“My four year old daughter was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot when she was ten days old and required open heart surgery when she was six months old to correct some defects in her heart. She was a poorly baby and was tube fed for eight months of her life. She has since been diagnosed with autism.
I recently attended a pottery event organised by Heart Heroes. It was great to be able to meet other families of children with heart conditions and share stories and feelings with people who have been through the same as you. To be able to share frustrations and fears, as well as have fun and make new friends is very much needed. Heart Heroes creates wonderful opportunities for many families for which we are very grateful.
It can feel very lonely and isolating having a child who is poorly or who has developmental issues, so to meet families who ‘just get it’ is very comforting and helps you remember you are not on your own”.
Throughout February 2022 10% of profits from every sale will be going to Heart Heroes and you can also donate directly here.
If you have a charity you would like us to support, please get in touch and let us know!
