Love is in the air and Cupid does not stop nailing his desired arrows: it is Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day. But today, February 14, the International Day of Congenital Heart Disease.
Ten children are born daily in Spain with some malformation in the heart. Awareness campaigns are needed on the struggle of these little warriors and aid such as housing for the families of hospitalized children, two initiatives of the Menudos Corazones Foundation.
"They were born with heart disease, they grow up with heart disease"
It is the motto of Menudos Corazones for this February 14, International Day of Congenital Heart Disease. And it has its explanation.
These malformations in the heart are produced by alterations during fetal development. It is the most common congenital pathology in our country.
In Babies and more Congenital heart disease, the birth defect with the highest incidence in SpainBeing a chronic condition, boys and girls will require specialized care throughout their lives. This can affect the family structure, generating emotional imbalances or economic wear and tear due to continuous hospitalizations far from your city.
Therefore, as the foundation points out "They and their families will always need special attention."
To give them visibility, they have an awareness campaign active in their social networks with the hashtag # MesCardiopatíasCongénitas ..
Its intention: to spread stories of children, adolescents, young people and adults with heart problems and to answer the most frequent questions about congenital heart disease.
Housing for families of hospitalized children
To facilitate the special attention that parents of children with this pathology need, Menudos Corazones has a free accommodation program for those who have to travel outside their usual residence to treat their children in the hospital.
Today he announced that he will expand his offer in nine more places in Madrid. As explained by its director, Amaya Sáez:
“More than half of the children treated in the pediatric cardiology or cardiac surgery units of Madrid hospitals travel from other autonomous communities. The hospitalization can last several months and have a temporary home, in a city like Madrid, provides families with great stability during the time of admission, usually marked by concerns.
And this is what Pablo and Reyes, Lara's parents, who benefited from this program during the hospitalization of their daughter in a center of Madrid:
"Indeed, a place to stay for free provides unparalleled tranquility and comfort in these circumstances: it means facing the disease in radically different and infinitely more favorable conditions."
In Babies and more Why is it important to assess children with congenital heart disease in Early CareAs a final gesture of solidarity for the International Day of Congenital Heart Disease, the Menudos Corazones Foundation asks us to modify our profile picture of the WhatsApp today with this one.
I have already done. And you?
Photos | Ceded by the Menudos Corazones Foundation
