Every day, 6 babies are born with Childhood Heart Disease (CHD). Learn more about CHD today

February is HeartKids Awareness Month & Valentine’s Day (14 Feb) is HeartKids Awareness Day! HeartKids is trying to raise awareness and funds in Australia about Childhood Heart Disease (CHD), which is one of the biggest killers of children under the age of one.

HeartKids is an amazing Australian organisation that focuses on all aspects of children’s heart disease. HeartKids offers support to children and their families who are suffering with CHD and they also fund research projects into Childhood Heart Disease.

Our Molecular Cardiology Research Program recently received a generous $29,000 grant from HeartKids to support our research into the potentially deadly role of genetic heart diseases in sudden death in children, including Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

The much-needed funding will support the efforts of a passionate young Centenary Institute scientist Annie Evans. Annie is investigating key genes that may be responsible for electrical disturbances in the hearts of babies and young children. We hope this work will help prevent these heart-breaking deaths in the future.

There are a number of great ways to get involved in HeartKids Awareness Month & Day, check out their new website at www.heartkids.org.au to find out how you can get involved in events like:

• Capture a Heart on Facebook – upload a heart image that you’ve spied and photographed
• Wall of Hearts – write a message of love and support at any Retail Food Group outlet such as Donut King, Brumby’s and Michele’s Patisserie
• Golden Heart Campaign – on Valentine’s Day swap the roses and chocolates for a heart-warming donation to HeartKids

Prof Chris Semsarian