Here is the leadership update from our June e-newsletter.
With June coming to an end, our second spring of Congenital Heart Walks is coming to a close. This spring, ACHA and The Children’s Heart Foundation have invited a third dynamic national organization to participate: Mended Little Hearts. Mended Little Hearts, a program of Mended Hearts, is a national organization that offers more than 60 parent support groups throughout the United States. Like ACHA, Mended Little Hearts believes that group leaders should receive extensive special training and support to equip them to help families struggling with a child born with CHD.
Earlier this month, I had the privilege of addressing Mended Little Hearts leadership at their national training session in New Orleans. I found a group of parents eager to learn more about how to help their children thrive throughout the lifespan, and ready to partner with ACHA to make this happen.
This fall, ACHA will begin offering interested Mended Little Heart groups access to ACHA Ambassadors trained to address parents’ needs. In addition to their own experiences growing up with CHD, each Ambassador will also be equipped with presentations and materials that reflect the collective wisdom of our ACHA membership and expert opinion on how best to help children with CHD grow up as healthy adults able to independently manage their conditions.
If you are interested in becoming an Ambassador in preparation for serving as an ACHA speaker, click here. If you would like to get started sooner working to help parents of children with CHD, visit the Mended Little Hearts website.
Wishing everyone a happy and healthy summer,
Amy Verstappen
ACHA President/CEO