Patient and family support

Brave Hearts families recognize the importance of support throughout a child's hospital stay as they have all, at one time or another, walked in similar shoes. Our group continues to be creative about how we work together with members of the Multidisciplinary Care Team at Norton Children's Heart Institute to meet the ongoing needs of patients and their families. 

One of the ways we support families is by providing new books to all patients during their hospital stay. Early reading intervention is critical to all children and especially patients with severe Congenital Heart Disease (CHD). Studies have shown that children with CHD are at a high risk for neurodevelopmental delays and impaired brain growth. In addition, parents of children with CHD experience higher levels of posttraumatic stress, depression, and anxiety. The Heart of a Bookworm program is working to increase reading to patients during their hospital stay. Reading programs with literacy rich environments can result in reduced parental stress, enhanced bonding, and stimulating optimal patterns of brain development. 

Another way we are able to support families is through our Brave Heart Snack Pantry. Our Snack Pantry provides nutrient rich foods for families to access during their hospital stay. Often times, families are not able to access food for many reasons. This snack pantry includes meals that can easily be microwaved, healthy snacks and more to enable families to stay close to their child but also have accessible food.  

To support inpatient families, visit our Amazon Wishlist to see the top needs for our Brave Heart Snack Pantry and our Heart of a Bookworm Book Cart. 

​To make a donation to Brave hearts, visit our fundraising page and help us provide monthly programming and support for all of our Brave Heart families, both inpatient and outpatient.