Heart Children NZ

A Heart Child is any child who suffers from a heart condition that has occurred before the age of 20 years. A small percentage of heart children have acquired heart disease, primarily as a result of rheumatic fever. The greater percentage of our children suffer from congenital heart disease, which, stated simply, means they are born with defective hearts. 

Heart Children NZ is a national organisation with 23 regional branches and/or support groups. Heart Children NZ is the only organisation that is dedicated solely to providing the support required by children with heart conditions and their families. Heart Children NZ has four classes of membership, these being Ordinary, Associate, Honorary and Supporting.   

Our mission is to provide and facilitate the best support and care for children with heart conditions and their families within New Zealand. The chief objective of Heart Children is to provide the parents and families of children with heart conditions the appropriate and timely support they need.  It is also responsible for the publication and distribution of the handbook "Heart Children".

Key Facts

• On average 12 babies are born in New Zealand each week with a congenital heart defect, making this the most common birth abnormality requiring medical intervention in New Zealand.
• This equates to approximately 600 per annum, or 1 in 100 live births.
• Starship Hospital, in Auckland, is the only specialist paediatric cardio-thoracic unit in New Zealand capable of performing the complicated procedures.
• Over 1,000 babies and children will go to the Starship Heart Unit each year for treatment or surgery.
• Approximately 400 children per year will have life saving surgery and numbers are increasing.  A further 600 children undergo complex tests and interventions, many of which are major.
• The majority of families travelling to the Starship Heart Unit (almost 70%) live outside the Auckland region.  Many of these families are away from home for long periods of time, leaving their support behind and incurring extra financial burdens.  This adds to the stress of coping with a sick child.
• More than 40 children will lose their battle with heart disease per year, but for the majority of infants and children heart surgery provides a spectacular gain in health, opportunity and life span.

CONTACT DETAILS

Heart Children NZ
PO Box 108 034
Symonds Street
AUCKLAND

ph (09) 377 9950
fax (09) 377 9954

email heartchildren@heartchildren.org.nz
website www.heartchildren.org.nz