Hopeful Hearts Parent Support Group
About Hopeful Hearts | What the Support Group Does | Contact Us
What is "Hopeful Hearts for Children"?
Hopeful Hearts for Children is a support group made up of families affected by congenital heart disease for families affected by congenital heart disease.
What can Hopeful Hearts for Children do to help families?
Our goal is to help parents feel less alone in coping with their child's illness and to offer hope, especially during stressful periods.
Meetings are currently on the even numbered months, first Tuesday of the month, in the Cardiology Clinic at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Meetings are provided so parents can share their concerns, stories and suggestions with other families with similar problems. Meetings are very informal and anyone is welcome to attend.
Additionally, special events are organized periodically such as our annual summer picnic and participation in the American Heart Association's annual Heart Mini-marathon weekend.
If it is not convenient for a family to attend a meeting, we can also match parents with families of children with similar needs or concerns (i.e., same diagnosis, same age or sex) to provide support over the phone.
Eventually we would like for the children in the group to form their own group so that they can share their own concerns and experiences as they get older. There is no fee for group membership. We are all parents with different experiences who help each other through difficult times.
How can families contact the group?
By email, contact Julie Balzano at jbalzano@fuse.net. More information can be obtained from Heart Center staff.
