More than St. Valentine's Day

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in LDRP; Education.

Friday, February 14th is A Day for Hearts: Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day!!

Some facts:

It is estimated that 40,000 babies are born each year with Congenital Heart Defects in the USA alone.

CHD is the most frequently occuring birth defect and is the leading cause of birth-defect related deaths each worldwide.

Many cases of Sudden Cardiac Death in young athletes are caused by undiagnosed CHDs and Childhood Onset Heart Disease.

This day was named to support awareness and ultimately, more research dollars to improve outcomes and understand the etiology of CHD. My current study that I am implementing is one such study.

For more info, go to http://www.tchin.org

Thanks!

:D

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Susy, link's not working....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LDRP; Education.

Thanks Stargazer. It's been edited. Try it again.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg Nursing.

My brother in law, who is now 27 was born with Tetrology of Fallot. He's had 7 open heart surgeries the last one being 10 yrs ago. Went for a Cardiac Cath last year down in Pittsburgh Childrens Hosp. which was where he had all of the surgeries as no cardiologist in Erie will touch him. May possibly have to have further surgeries in the years to come. He take digoxin daily and doesnt have the stamina to play sports anymore.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

My 30yo significant other has an implanted cardioverter/defibrillator since his rather dramatic episode of Torsade de Points on Christmas Eve 2001 exposed his previously undiagnosed Long Q-T Syndrome. (He dropped dead in his chair - I thought he'd choked and whacked him hard on the back which unknowingly acted as a precordial thump). Awareness is the key to the cure for *everything* in life - we wouldn't have known what it was if SADS UK hadn't been on TV trying to raise awareness which led us to a specialist for diagnosis. If everyone buys a pin or gives 10 cents, it makes a difference. Support it if you can.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LDRP; Education.

Thank you for the support! My investigator relies on research funding to continue to determine causes for cardiac defects. Once this study is completed, we will be able to make a causative claim of environmental toxins to the incidence of cardiac defects.

It will be a very large and controversial study, once we're published.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment