Heart Foundation and HeartKids unite to help children impacted by heart disease

Media release: Tuesday 21 January 2025

We're partnering for healthier hearts

Children impacted by heart disease in Australia now have a powerful advocate for improved outcomes, thanks to a landmark partnership between two of the nation’s leading heart charities.

Childhood-onset heart disease is a major health issue nationally, with an estimated 2,400 babies born with a form of congenital heart disease each year and many more developing heart conditions during childhood. It is the most common congenital disorder in newborns affecting up to 1 in 100 births and as for most there is no cure, CoHD is lifelong, impacting children, teens and adults.

The Heart Foundation and HeartKids can today announce they are joining forces for the first time in a partnership which will accelerate their work towards their vision for all Australians impacted by CoHD to live happy, healthier and more productive lives.

Heart Foundation Chief Executive Officer David Lloyd welcomed the alliance and said together the organisations would be proactive in transforming lives impacted by CoHD through advocacy, support and innovation.

This partnership represents a significant and collaborative step forward in addressing the needs of children and their families living with childhood-onset heart disease.

David Lloyd

Heart Foundation CEO

HeartKids Chief Executive Officer Marcus Sandmann echoed the sentiment and said the organisations would make a greater impact by joining forces.

We are delighted to collaborate with the Heart Foundation, aligning the strengths of our organisations to create greater impact and deliver meaningful outcomes for individuals and families navigating childhood-onset heart disease.

Marcus Sandmann

HeartKids CEO

The new Heart Foundation and HeartKids partnership will reduce the impact of CoHD by:

• Delivering community awareness campaigns that aim to educate the nation on CoHD and its impact.
• Advocating for improved health services and funding for CoHD care.
• Supporting new research programs which will help advance treatment options, and long-term management.
• Working to reduce the rate and impact of rheumatic heart disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

About CoHD

CoHD incorporates a group of abnormalities of the heart and is a general name for any type of malformation of the heart, heart valves or major blood vessels which are present at birth or are acquired during childhood. Conditions can range from simple to complex and can occur alone or in groups, depending on how the heart has developed.