Media Awareness for CHD ( Congenital Heart Defects )

Congenital heart defects are America's #1 birth defect. Nearly one of every 85 babies is born with a CHD in the US.

Congenital heart defects are the Number 1 cause of birth defect related deaths.

This year almost 40,000 babies will be born with a congenital heart defect in the US. 4,000 of them will not live to see their first birthday.

91,000 life years are lost each year in this country due to congenital heart defects.

The cost for inpatient surgery to repair congenital heart defects exceeds $2.2 billion a year.

Congenital heart defects occur frequently and are often life threatening, yet research into them is grossly under funded.

Only one penny of every dollar donated to the American Heart Association goes towards congenital heart defect research.

Of every dollar the government spends on medical funding only a fraction of a penny is directed toward congenital heart defect research.

More than 50% of all children born with a congenital heart defect will require at least one invasive surgery in their lifetime.

There are 35 different types of congenital heart defects. Little is known about the cause of most them. There is not yet a cure for any of them.

In the U.S., twice as many children die from congenital heart defects each year than from all forms of childhood cancer combined, yet funding for pediatric cancer research is five times higher than funding for CHD.

Statistics today show that due to misdiagnosis, lack of knowledge and awareness, & complications of surgery…about 51% of deaths caused by CHD are children under the age of 1 year.

Early diagnosis is the key to survival!

For nearly 40 years, newborn screening programs have provided an important public health service by identifying newborns with metabolic, hematologic and endocrine disorders as well as hearing loss. But did you know there is also tests that could identify a congenital heart defect immediately? The painless, non-invasive tests are called echocardiogram and pulse oximeter and they could dramatically increase the survival rate for children born with CHD.

Due to these alarming facts, we the undersigned urge the Media to start helping in raising Awareness whether it will be my magazine and newspaper articles, books, info shows and commercials.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this petition and care so much to sign it. It it truly being appreciated.

WE NEED TO MAKE CHILDRENS' HEALTH ISSUES OUR PRIORITY !

If you would like to learn more about CHD, please visit the following great pages :

http://www.chloeduyckmemorial.com

http://www.hope4tinyhearts.com

http://www.congenitalheartdefects.com/

http://www.chdinfo.com/

http://www.thechdquilt.homestead.com/

http://www.childrenheartinstitute.org/

http://www.Congenital-Heart-Defects.co.uk

http://www.mattersoftheheart-online.com

http://www.sandrakaystore.com

Please also note that this is an ongoing petition without time limitation. I am sending out emails to media sources every couple of weeks with the updated signature list.

God bless you :)*

Sandra Kay,
- Founder of "Matters of the Heart", and "Angelina's -Warriors of CHD Awareness"