What We Do
Information Services
As well as the resources and information produced by Heart Children New Zealand and available from this website, there is a wealth of other information available that may be of interest to families with heart children.
Click here for more details on a list of links to related sites and information on the internet which is available; please email us if you would like to suggest any links to add to this page.
Heartline
Our quarterly newsletter to members, which contains interesting stories, updates from Ward 23B at Starship Children's Hospital, handy tips, latest news from the medical world and general information that our readers often ask for.
Heartline Magazine is automatically mailed to members and our special supporters. You can download the latest or past issues of the newsletter, click here.
Heart Children Handbook
This is a well-written handbook for parents of children with heart conditions. It is our aim that every family with a 'heart child' receives a copy of this book at the time their child is diagnosed, which of course involves national distribution. Many health professionals find this a valuable tool also, in helping to explain a diagnosis to parents.
Teacher's Handbook
This handbook is as a result of a joint initiative between Heart Children NZ and teachers from the Northern Hospitals School. It is a useful handbook for educators of children with heart conditions. Parents find it an invaluable tool for answering all those 'health' questions on school forms.
Family Support
Family Support is one of Heart Children New Zealand's key strategic goals, aiming to develop the Family Support Service to create a nationwide network of support workers, trained and motivated to work with our heart children and their families.
As part of it Family Support services, Heart Children New Zealand publishes information leaflets about Children in Hospital, Starship Hospital, Ward 23B and Returning to School.
Click here for more details.
Family Matches
We run a database of families who have specified their child's particular heart condition. When requested, we match families whose children have similar heart conditions and put them in touch with each other, as a means of self-support. This proves to be a vital service, especially for those families whose child is newly diagnosed.
Medical Alert Bracelets
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Heart Children NZ works in partnership with Medic Alert to offer its heart client members a FREE Stainless Steel Medical Alert Bracelet or necklace.
If you would like to utilise this service, please contact:
Contact: Sue Clark
Ph: 09-377 9950 ext 806
or: 0800-543 943
heartchildren@heartchildren.org.nz
Branch Network & Seminar
We have approximately twenty-two branches, or support groups, throughout New Zealand. This provides the basis of our 'grass roots' support for families in their hometowns. We provide the branches with the necessary tools to operate under our constitution and maintain uniformity of our organisation. A monthly newsletter is sent to all our branches to keep them current with all the national and other branches activities.
For detailed contact details, click here.
National Conference
A national conference is held every second year, aimed at everyone affected by CHD. The next Conference is scheduled for October 2010 in Auckland.
Family Accommodation while at Starship
Through our partnership with Ronald McDonald House Auckland Trust, families whose children are being treated at Starship, are provided accommodation at Ronald McDonald House. Contact your home hospital social worker to request an accommodation booking:
Contacts: Ronald McDonald House
or: Starship Booking Office
Ph: 09-307 4949 ext 23619
Travel Assistance
For the second parent/guardian to travel to Starship Children's Hospital
If you need to travel to Starship for your child to receive treatment in the Paediatric Cardiac Unit, we may be able to assist the second parent/guardian to get there. Contact us for more information about how we may be able to help:
Contact: Sue Clark
Ph: 09-377 9950 ext 806
or: 0800-543 943
heartchildren@heartchildren.org.nz
Zipper Kidz™ Club
A special club for children with heart conditions aged from 0 to 18 years. Visit the Clubhouse on our site here.
Camp Brave Hearts
This popular camp caters for our heart kids from 8 to 12 years old, and is an opportunity for our children to mix and participate with their own age group, getting to know others with similar experiences and challenges. For the last several years Camp Brave Hearts has been held on the eastern shores of Lake Taupo in January.
Click here to view photos from past camps.
Camp Teen Beat
Camp Teen Beat caters for heart kids from 13 to 16 years old, and for the past several years has been help in the April holidays, at Long Bay on Auckland's North Shore. Like the Camp for younger members, Camp Teen Beat is an opportunity for the teenagers to mix and participate with their peers, getting to know others with similar experiences and challenges, as well as, where applicable, talk to professionals and other young people about their forthcoming transition into the adult cardiology wards of Auckland Hospital.
Click here to view photos from past camps.
Boot Camp
This successful new camp was introduced in 2008 to cater for older heart teens from 17 years old through to young adults. Held in South Auckland over a 4-day weekend in July, the camp is an opportunity for the young people to continue to mix with their peers, as well as attend workshops and discuss topics relating to the issues of health and living life with an on-going heart condition.
Click here to view photos from past camps.
Ward 23B at Starship Children's Hospital
Ward 23B is the 24 bed-paediatric cardiac unit, the only specialist unit of its kind in New Zealand. Filipa Topaz is our hospital & Ward 23B liaison, visits the ward each day to distribute the information packs to newly admitted families, visit the parent area, liaise with the Ward staff and generally provide practical help to families where possible. This may be a trip to the supermarket, a group support meeting or activities for the children.
We also provide:
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parent recreation lounge and kitchen
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information folders to assist with orientation to Starship Hospital and environs
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school holiday programme
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child fun packs to help entertain your child while restricted to staying in bed
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mini pages while your child is in surgery and during their stay in intensive care
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video camera and photographic equipment
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breast pumps
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regular coffee mornings
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extra equipment and furniture for use on the Ward.
Anti-Coagulant Machines
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If your heart child is taking Warfrin and suffering from the regular venous blood tests, contact us for information about our anti-coagulant programme. This programme is open to any heart child in New Zealand.
For more information, click here
Heart Children Van
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Heart Children NZ provides a bus service at Starship to transport children and their families to local shopping centres and entertainment venues.
Heart Children's van is a great asset and can be seen regularly taking families out to relieve their stress during their stay at Starship.
FAQ
Click here for some commonly asked questions and answers. If you have suggestions for this page, please email heartchildren@heartchildren.org.nz.
