Forty thousand American children are born with a congenital heart defects each year and over 91,000 lives are lost each year in the US due to congenital heart disease. Charges for care exceed 2.2 billion dollars, for inpatient surgery alone. In 1997 762,290.00 surgical procedures were performed due to congenital heart defects and six years later the numbers are drastically climbing.
How much research has been done?
Not nearly enough. Compared to adult acquired heart disease, less information is known regarding optimal treatments and outcomes for most congenital heart defects. Although nearly twice as many children die each year from congenital heart disease compared with childhood cancers, funding for pediatric cancer research is 5 times higher than for congenital heart disease. This has to change. Too many babies, children and young adults are dying each year from congenital heart disease and though research is ongoing, at least 35 defects have now been identified.With approximately 1 million people with cardiovascular defects alive today present research is not moving forward fast enough.
Not all of the statistics are damning however. It is important to remember that more than 90% of the children who are born with CHD are living into adulthood and are surpassing previous statistics given to their individual defects. Researchers are doing their best to help children born with congenital heart defects to live well into adulthood everyday but they need more help and more money to keep up their fight.
Please do your part so that the next baby born with a congenital heart defect has a fighting chance.Volunteer at your local United Way or March of Dimes, donate in your employer's next charity drive, and remember all babies, children, and adults with CHD in your prayers.
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