The Cardiac Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Recognizes Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) Awareness Day

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than one million children and adults in the U.S. are living today with congenital heart defects and are an incredible example of the power of the advances in surgical and medical care and research efforts. As a family member or friend of a child or adult with a congenital heart defect (CHD), you have an incredible story to share.  

The Cardiac Center at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia celebrates Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Day and invites families and individuals whose lives have been touched by congenital heart disease to advocate, fundraise and share your personal story to raise awareness of congenital heart disease and support research efforts at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. A specialized toolkit has been developed to help families and individuals become CHD Champions.

This advocacy toolkit includes tips on how to raise awareness about CHD by sharing your story or fundraiser with the media, reaching out to legislators or writing an editorial for your local newspaper. The toolkit was developed to partner with our families and the larger community to make a difference in raising awareness about congenital heart disease.

"Awareness and funding of CHD is vital to the development of new and better treatments and to continue to search for the causes of congenital heart disease," said Robert Shaddy M.D., chief of the division of Cardiology at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia "Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Day brings pediatric issues to the forefront, and I invite everyone to partner with the Cardiac Center to raise awareness that children's heart issues are extremely important."

The Cardiac Center is one of the largest centers in the world dedicated to caring for patients of all ages with CHD with 24,000 outpatient visits, 1,500 inpatient admissions, more than 1,000 cardiac catheterizations and more than 900 surgical procedures annually. The Cardiac Center offers the most cutting-edge surgical and interventional treatments available for children with heart defects, many of which have been pioneered by CHOP physician-scientists.

Babies who are prenatally diagnosed with a congenital heart defect may be delivered in the Garbose Family Special Delivery Unit, the world's first delivery unit exclusively for babies with congenital conditions.

The Cardiac Center staff is a team composed of  pediatric and adult cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists, cardiac nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, social workers, respiratory therapists, child life specialists, operating room technicians and many others who are dedicated exclusively to providing a continuum of care for patients of all ages with CHD, fetus through adult.

Join Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in recognizing Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Day, February 14, 2011.  

Become a CHD Champion. Make a difference. Visit heart.chop.edu for the tool kit and more information.    

SOURCE The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?

440k+
Newsrooms &
Influencers

9k+
Digital Media
Outlets

270k+
Journalists
Opted In

GET STARTED