Conquering Congenitial Heart Disease-Illinois Hosts Virtual Walk

Congenital heart disease is the number one cause of birth defect worldwide. Approximately one in 100 babies born are diagnosed with CHD every year. There are currently more than 2 million children and adults living with CHD in the United States.

Conquering CHD-Illinois exists to conquer the most common birth defect. CHD-Illinois engages, listens, learns and acts. The organization creates visibility and empower all impacted by CHD. The organization accomplishes this through awareness, community, knowledge and research.

The most active program is Conquering CHD Care Kit distribution to hospitalized CHD patients, from infants to adults. The organization provides care packages to the following cardiac centers:

● Advocate Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn and Park Ridge
● Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital

Conquering CHD Care Kits provide educational resources and comfort items to hospitalized patients of all ages and their families. Care hits help ease the hospital burden and provide local connections to patients and families just like them. In addition to hospital kits, Conquering CHD also provides cardiac catheterization kits, prenatal kits to expecting parents with a fetal diagnosis, teen/adult transition kits, and Spanish-language kits. Sadly, there are still families who lose loved ones to CHD, and the organization provides bereaved heart boxes to preserve their precious memories.

Due to the pandemic, Conquering CHD – Illinois’ annual walk will go virtual this year on Sunday, May 16 to spread CHD awareness, celebrate the heroes, and remember those gone too soon. The Illinois chapter is 100-percent volunteer-run and funds from this event will be used to fuel its growing programs in support of the local heart community.

Visit Conquering CHD-Illinois for more information. Register at the 2021 Walk to the Beat Of My Heart Virtual Walk. The organization hopes to raise $50,000. For more info, email Maria Weller at mweller@conqueringchd.org