Once a heart kid, always a heart kid
With no cure for a childhood heart condition, Heart Kids NZ is committed to providing lifelong, vital services at no cost to ensure all those impacted will feel supported, informed, educated, and connected.
Heart families can be faced with separation, isolation, stress, financial hardship, and loneliness during their journey. The future is uncertain, and these families need support.
“You’re not really ever out of the woods,” says Rebecca Gourlay, Maya’s mum.
Heart Kids NZ is the only national organisation in Aotearoa NZ dedicated to providing that support.
We help at every step of the journey; from diagnosis, through childhood, the teenage years and into adulthood. Our practical and emotional support is vital in helping individuals and families cope with the day-to-day challenges of living with a childhood heart condition.
Our heart community consists of:
- Our 10,000+ members that are as diverse as there are childhood heart conditions.
- Our team of dedicated family support taituarā that support heart children, youth, adults and their whānau at Starship Children’s Hospital, Auckland City Hospital, local hospitals and at home.
- Our network of passionate branch committee volunteers who have lived experience and work tirelessly to raise funds for locally delivered services and family events.
- Our group of enthusiastic event volunteers that return each year to ensure our children and teen camps run smoothly.
- Our network of heart heroes – donors, community fundraisers, corporate partners and ambassadors – that ensures our services remain free for members (despite Heart Kids NZ not receiving any government funding).
- Our board members who volunteer their time and expertise to act as guardians of the Heart Kids NZ mission, vision, purpose and values.
Want to join us? Nau mai, haere mai – there is a place for you in our community.
Brave Hearts Standing Tall
Heart Stories from our Community
Thanks to our Heroes for Heart Kids campaign partners! USL is celebrating becoming New Zealand's trusted supplier for Philips AEDs by making a real difference to NZ heart health. For every Philips AED purchased this month, they will donate $100 to Heart Kids NZ to help us continue our vital work supporting children with lifelong heart conditions.
It truly takes a village
You can support Heart Kids NZ and positively impact the lives of heart children, teens, adults and their families all around the country.
$12
Equals $1 for each child
diagnosed with a heart condition this week
$25
Gives the gift of a Maia Bear
to a child after their first open-heart surgery
$50
A week’s worth of practical support
for a heart parent as they sit by their child’s bedside in hospital
$100
Specialised counselling
for heart families needing extra support
$250
Provides food and travel support
for an out-of-town family while their heart kid is at Starship
$500
Send a heart kid to camp
no matter where they live in Aotearoa NZ
