What is Congenital Heart Disease (CHD)?
Congenital heart disease (CHD), affects eight babies born in Australia every day (that’s one every three hours). Four precious lives are lost each week, making this complex condition with no known cure, one of the leading causes of infant death in the country.
Despite being a serious life-threatening condition, over 72,000 Australian babies, children and adults are currently living with CHD, yet they will face unique challenges for the rest of their lives, including repeated heart surgeries and ongoing medical treatment. The impact of having a heart child is life-changing for the entire family and one that leads to enormous emotional and financial stress. With CHD impacting one in every 100 births, a further 3,000 babies are expected to be born with CHD in 2023.