1. (NU) - The birth of a child
should be a joyous occasion, a
time for families to celebrate the
excitement and wonder that
comes with parenthood.
But for families of children
born with congenital heart defects
(CHD), this exciting time can
quickly become a scary journey
of decisions, emotions and sub-
sequent surgeries. It raises myri-
ad questions, often with minimal
guidance and few answers. And
the emotional and financial stress
can be staggering.
Jennifer Page, mother of 11-
year-old Max, who starred in an
iconic Super Bowl commercial as
the Little Darth Vader, has first-
hand experience with the highs and
lows that came with his diagno-
sis. Max had his first surgery at 3
months old and has had 11 surg-
eries already in his short life. He is
one of the 40,000 U.S. children
born each year with CHDs.
“At first, the diagnosis of a con-
genital heart defect was so fright-
ening and overwhelming,” said
Jennifer. “But over time, I needed
to learn all about Max’s condition
and what his future would look
like. I’ve come to understand how
critical it is to have immediate, cur-
rent and accurate information.”
To help families facing a CHD,
the nonprofit group Mended Little
Hearts worked with medical ex-
perts, parents and caregivers from
across the country to develop the
Mended Little HeartGuide. This
comprehensive digital guidebook,
developed with the generous sup-
port of global medical device man-
ufacturer St. Jude Medical Inc., is
aimed at parents and families of
children with heart conditions.
The guidebook includes infor-
mation about “what to do after a
diagnosis,” “how to cope in the
hospital,” “how to navigate insur-
ance” and “how to manage infor-
mation overload.” It also provides
helpful advice and tips, such as:
• How to build a caring support
network
• It’s natural to feel stressed
• Keep asking questions
• Don’t feel guilty when things
don't go perfectly
• Take care of you
• This is a lifelong journey
“We believe this guidebook
-- written by moms, dads, doctors
and other advocates who know
the struggles of caring for a child
with a heart defect -- can be a
helpful resource,” said Dr. Mark
Carlson, vice president of global
clinical affairs and chief medical
officer at St. Jude Medical. “Em-
powering families is part of our
commitment to create innovative
medical solutions that improve
lives and keep kids thriving.”
For more information on
CHDs and to download the
Mended Little HeartGuide, visit
MendedLittleHeartGuide.org.
New Resource Created for Families
of Children With Heart Problems
HEALTH
NewsUSA
Max Page had his first
heart surgery at just
3 months old.
NewsUSA