Heart Children Ireland

6 February 2019

Discover more about the inspiring work of our resident member organisations, their impact and the difference they make to communities across the country. Our featured story is Heart Children Ireland.

www.heartchildren.ie

Heart Children Ireland is a support group for parents and families of children with a Congenital Heart Disorder(CHD).

Who we are and what we do:

  • We are a nationwide organisation with over 1,000 member families.
  • We were founded in 1990 and are a registered charity.
  • We are a completely voluntary group and currently receive no government funding.
  • We depend on our own fundraising and donations from individuals and businesses.
  • In the first 28 years of our existence, we raised over €2.5 million for the Children’s Heart Centre at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin.
  • IT IS FREE TO JOIN HEART CHILDREN IRELAND- you are welcome to contact us!

We offer support in many ways. Here are some examples:

  1. We hold social events where families can meet, for example, coffee mornings, parties and picnics.
  2. We hold information days for families around the country focusing on cardiac topics of interest.
  3. We provide a Family Psychology Support Service free to all members. Individuals of all ages with congenital heart conditions, family members and bereaved families access this service.
  4. We hold an annual conference with keynote speakers from the world of congenital cardiology.
  5. We have purchased equipment for both the Children’s Heart Centre at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital and the Adult Congenital Unit at The Mater Hospital. For example, we purchased the first ECMO machine for the Intensive Care Unit at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital.  This machine is saving lives on a daily basis.
  6. We work hard to raise awareness of the issues relevant to our members by representing them in relevant forums.
  7. We have provided a dedicated clinic room for the Adult Congenital Unit at the Mater Hospital to facilitate our teenagers transferring from Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital.
  8. Through our News Briefs, we provide updates about Heart Children Ireland services and supports, as well as relevant information about health service matters.
  9. We are privileged to manage The Blue Ribbon Fund on behalf of the Moran family. This fund provides assistance to families on the transplant journey with their child. This fund is in memory of Elaine Moran.
  10. Margaret, CEO, and Linda, Administrator, provide a listening ear should you wish to contact them.

Help us to continue to support our families, children and adults. To support Heart Children Ireland, just click on the “donate now” button on the website www.heartchildren.ie.