Building Stronger Hearts and Brighter Futures
Every fifteen minutes, a family learns that their child was born with a heart condition called congenital heart disease (CHD). That means a child’s heart formed differently before they were born. Some kids need surgeries, special medicines, or lifelong care to help their hearts do their important job – pumping blood through the body.
At HeartWorks, we believe every child deserves the chance to grow, play, learn, and dream big. Our team works every day to help kids with special hearts live stronger, fuller lives.
Here’s how we help.
Helping Hearts Grow Stronger
Scientists at HeartWorks work on new ideas and treatments that may help hearts work better.
We study how heart cells grow and heal so that one day we can create new ways to repair hearts that were born different. Our goal is to help kids keep their own hearts healthy for as long as possible.
We are always asking big questions like:
- How can we help hearts get stronger?
- Can we help damaged heart muscle heal?
- How can we give children better options for the future?
By studying these questions, we hope to create treatments that could change how congenital heart disease is cared for.
Helping Doctors Learn and Practice
Heart surgery is some of the most complex surgery in the world. That’s why doctors need special training and practice.
HeartWorks is creating a space where doctors and nurses can learn and practice the hardest heart procedures before performing them on patients.
This training helps medical teams:
- Practice complicated surgeries
- Learn new treatments and technologies
- Work together to give kids the best care possible
When doctors have the best training, kids receive the best care.
Helping Kids at Every Age
Congenital heart disease doesn’t disappear when kids grow up. Children with CHD become teens and adults who still need special heart care.
HeartWorks works to improve care for every stage of life, including:
- Babies born with heart conditions
- Kids growing up with CHD
- Teens transitioning to adult care
- Adults living full lives with special hearts
Our goal is to make sure kids with CHD have support, knowledge, and options as they grow.
Learning from Kids and Families
Kids and families living with CHD are some of the strongest people we know. Their experiences help doctors and researchers understand what life with CHD is really like.
Through projects like The Co-op @ HeartWorks, families can share their stories and health information with researchers who are working to improve treatments.
By learning from families, we can:
- Discover patterns in heart conditions
- Design better research studies
- Create treatments that truly help patients
Every story shared helps move research forward.
To learn more / become a member visit: The Co-op at HeartWorks
Bringing People Together
HeartWorks connects families, doctors, scientists, and supporters who all want the same thing: better outcomes for children with heart disease.
We believe the biggest progress happens when people work together. That’s why HeartWorks is built as a “Team of Teams” – a community where families, researchers, clinicians, and supporters each play an important role in moving ideas forward.
Heart families are at the center of everything we do. We love learning about each child’s story and the unique journey every family is on.
Many families choose to get involved by helping spread awareness, hosting a community event, starting a fundraiser, or bringing people together around their child’s story. Whether it’s a small gathering, a school fundraiser, a community event, or something entirely new, we are always excited to help families turn their passion into impact. To meet with our Family Engagement Manager, please email erin@webuildhearts.org.
When families, doctors, and supporters come together as one team, we can move faster toward a future where every child with congenital heart disease has better options and brighter possibilities.
Building a Future for Stronger Hearts
At HeartWorks, we believe the future for children with congenital heart disease can be brighter than ever before.
Every experiment, every training program, every family story, and every partnership brings us one step closer to a world where children with CHD have more choices, stronger hearts, and longer lives.
Because every child deserves the chance to live life with their whole heart.
