And we know that on the weekend there is set to be a really special event which is happening in Palmerston. It's aiming to raise awareness of childhood on set heart disease and also pay tribute to those who have died and heart Kids is hosting its two Feet and a Heartbeat Walk. It's happening at Marlow's Lagoon this Sunday to also unite and support bereaved parents and joining us live on the line to talk a little bit more about the event. It is heart Kids Chief of Support Services and Impact, Tanya Ports. Good morning to you.

And we know that on the weekend there is set to be a really special event which is happening in Palmerston. It's aiming to raise awareness of childhood on set heart disease and also pay tribute to those who have died and heart Kids is hosting its two Feet and a Heartbeat Walk. It's happening at Marlow's Lagoon this Sunday to also unite and support bereaved parents and joining us live on the line to talk a little bit more about the event. It is heart Kids Chief of Support Services and Impact, Tanya Ports. Good morning to you.

Tanya, good morning, how are you yeah, really good?

Tanya, good morning, how are you yeah, really good?

Thank you so much for your time this morning. Tanya tell us a little bit more about the event that's.

Thank you so much for your time this morning. Tanya tell us a little bit more about the event that's.

Happening absolutely well. Heart Kids two Feet and a Heartbeat Walk has been happening since twenty fourteenth, so this is our ten year celebration which is really exciting and it's a walk that brings people together who impacted by childhood on set heart disease and a chance for families that are impacted by a childhood onset heart disease to get together support one another, also their networks and friends and to do a walk in memory of the four lives that we lose to COHD each week, and also in recognition of the eight babies born each day across Australia with COHD.

Happening absolutely well. Heart Kids two Feet and a Heartbeat Walk has been happening since twenty fourteenth, so this is our ten year celebration which is really exciting and it's a walk that brings people together who impacted by childhood on set heart disease and a chance for families that are impacted by a childhood onset heart disease to get together support one another, also their networks and friends and to do a walk in memory of the four lives that we lose to COHD each week, and also in recognition of the eight babies born each day across Australia with COHD.

To those out there listening who maybe don't know a huge amount about childhood on set heart disease, can you explain to our listeners exactly what it is?

To those out there listening who maybe don't know a huge amount about childhood on set heart disease, can you explain to our listeners exactly what it is?

Yeah, So, childhood onset heart disease can combine two different things. One is congenital heart disease, so obviously a child that is born with a heart condition, and there are many different heart conditions that children might be born with, and also childhood acquired heart disease, and that includes a number of things including rhematic heart disease and commonitis disease. So it's yeah, it's very prevalent because one in every hundred babies born has a child a congenital heart condition, and of course then other children acquire different conditions for different reasons throughout their lives. So it's far more common than people realize.

Yeah, So, childhood onset heart disease can combine two different things. One is congenital heart disease, so obviously a child that is born with a heart condition, and there are many different heart conditions that children might be born with, and also childhood acquired heart disease, and that includes a number of things including rhematic heart disease and commonitis disease. So it's yeah, it's very prevalent because one in every hundred babies born has a child a congenital heart condition, and of course then other children acquire different conditions for different reasons throughout their lives. So it's far more common than people realize.

Yeah, it is. It is so common. My little cousin, well she's not so little anymore. She is in her twenties, thank goodness, and she was born with a congenital heart defect and I know it's you know, it's something that she's had to grapple with all throughout her life and still continues to you know, still continues to be in hospital at different times and requiring treatment and operations, and it's something that impacts a lot of young people in Australia. So this is a real opportunity, I guess for everybody to get together, raise that awareness and and you know, sort of to think of each other as well.

Yeah, it is. It is so common. My little cousin, well she's not so little anymore. She is in her twenties, thank goodness, and she was born with a congenital heart defect and I know it's you know, it's something that she's had to grapple with all throughout her life and still continues to you know, still continues to be in hospital at different times and requiring treatment and operations, and it's something that impacts a lot of young people in Australia. So this is a real opportunity, I guess for everybody to get together, raise that awareness and and you know, sort of to think of each other as well.

Absolutely nothing. Obviously you have firsthand experience of your family with this, but nothing beats talking to other people that have gone through a similar journey and understand what it is you're facing and perhaps what that feels like when a hospital time is coming up and possible surgery, or just understanding the challenges of every day to day. And yet nothing beats getting together and having a chance to support one another. At you and your family, your extended family would no personally.

Absolutely nothing. Obviously you have firsthand experience of your family with this, but nothing beats talking to other people that have gone through a similar journey and understand what it is you're facing and perhaps what that feels like when a hospital time is coming up and possible surgery, or just understanding the challenges of every day to day. And yet nothing beats getting together and having a chance to support one another. At you and your family, your extended family would no personally.

I mean you touched on as well. Rheumatic heart. That is something that's really prevalent in the Northern Territory, isn't it.

I mean you touched on as well. Rheumatic heart. That is something that's really prevalent in the Northern Territory, isn't it.

Absolutely yeah. Rheumatic heart disease disproportionately affects our brigonal entirest island and communities, and in the Northern Territory of course, we have a very large population of people that are impacted by RhD and heart kids. Do obvious to support both groups people with congenital conditions but also childhood acquired heart conditions, and particularly in the territory working with the Royal Dalen Hospital and staff and other organizations up there to support our rabbisial turists at our families as well. We'd love to see the end of that.

Absolutely yeah. Rheumatic heart disease disproportionately affects our brigonal entirest island and communities, and in the Northern Territory of course, we have a very large population of people that are impacted by RhD and heart kids. Do obvious to support both groups people with congenital conditions but also childhood acquired heart conditions, and particularly in the territory working with the Royal Dalen Hospital and staff and other organizations up there to support our rabbisial turists at our families as well. We'd love to see the end of that.

That's the plan, Tanya, in terms of some of the supports that are available here in the Northern Territory. What you know, I mean when you look at this across the board, what treatment options are available and what kind of support is available in the Northern Territory well as far.

That's the plan, Tanya, in terms of some of the supports that are available here in the Northern Territory. What you know, I mean when you look at this across the board, what treatment options are available and what kind of support is available in the Northern Territory well as far.

As treatment options go, of course, there's so many different conditions and the amazing cardiologists and surgeons around the country, they're absolute rock stars. They do a phenomenal job in looking after our kids and teens and adults that have impacted our COOHD. Of course, each one of those journeys is different and obviously their doctors that the medical teams are there to walk through those with them, and heart kids fills the gap where it comes to community support. So we partner with all of the major children's hospitals around the country as well as many other peripheral clinics and other organizations. And the person's journey doesn't finish, of course when they're in hospital having surgery, but then they get to go home and think, well, now what do I do? You know, how do I manage each day? How do I know support the rest of my family for from a parents' perspective, And that's obviously where heart Kids really steps in. We've got a huge library of resources on our website which is heart Kids dot org dot a youth and of course our support coordinators providing local support, get to run events and catch up with families one to one, provide support at those clinics and help them navigate their individual journeys, you know, pointing them in direction of resources both within heart Kids and outside of heart Kids, and just helping make that journey you know, a little easier and take some of the pressure off where we can.

As treatment options go, of course, there's so many different conditions and the amazing cardiologists and surgeons around the country, they're absolute rock stars. They do a phenomenal job in looking after our kids and teens and adults that have impacted our COOHD. Of course, each one of those journeys is different and obviously their doctors that the medical teams are there to walk through those with them, and heart kids fills the gap where it comes to community support. So we partner with all of the major children's hospitals around the country as well as many other peripheral clinics and other organizations. And the person's journey doesn't finish, of course when they're in hospital having surgery, but then they get to go home and think, well, now what do I do? You know, how do I manage each day? How do I know support the rest of my family for from a parents' perspective, And that's obviously where heart Kids really steps in. We've got a huge library of resources on our website which is heart Kids dot org dot a youth and of course our support coordinators providing local support, get to run events and catch up with families one to one, provide support at those clinics and help them navigate their individual journeys, you know, pointing them in direction of resources both within heart Kids and outside of heart Kids, and just helping make that journey you know, a little easier and take some of the pressure off where we can.

Now obviously we have got as I understand it, the walk is taking place. Is it happening in thirty locations across Australia.

Now obviously we have got as I understand it, the walk is taking place. Is it happening in thirty locations across Australia.

This year, did you say, it's fantastic. We've got thirty two locations across Australia, which is an absolute record, and they run what they started on the twelfth of October and this weekend is the last weekend and it's been so exciting. We've had so many people involved and we're so grateful to those that have already walked and those that are still coming up. And of course one of those walks this weekend. There's five this weekend or the last five, and of course one of those is in Palmerston, which is wonderful.

This year, did you say, it's fantastic. We've got thirty two locations across Australia, which is an absolute record, and they run what they started on the twelfth of October and this weekend is the last weekend and it's been so exciting. We've had so many people involved and we're so grateful to those that have already walked and those that are still coming up. And of course one of those walks this weekend. There's five this weekend or the last five, and of course one of those is in Palmerston, which is wonderful.

It is wonderful. Is this the first time that it's happened in Palmerston? Do you know, Dania, or have we had one before the.

It is wonderful. Is this the first time that it's happened in Palmerston? Do you know, Dania, or have we had one before the.

Third time we've done it in Palmerston. We have done a couple over the years in Darwin itself. But it's great to see new families getting involved and old families who have been connected with Heart Kids for quite a long time still getting involved in supporting that. So it's very few to our hearts.

Third time we've done it in Palmerston. We have done a couple over the years in Darwin itself. But it's great to see new families getting involved and old families who have been connected with Heart Kids for quite a long time still getting involved in supporting that. So it's very few to our hearts.

Yeah, odd is wonderful. I think it's such a great event. Now to anybody listening who does want to get involved or maybe wants to donate or want some more detail about what heart Kids does, where can they go to?

Yeah, odd is wonderful. I think it's such a great event. Now to anybody listening who does want to get involved or maybe wants to donate or want some more detail about what heart Kids does, where can they go to?

Well the best please to go to to get all the up to date details into our website which is heart Kids dot or dot au and there's a link there that will take you through to the two feet and a Heartbeat activities, so check that out first and then if you're unable to register beforehand, please go along on the day and support the team and they would absolutely love to have more people involved through well.

Well the best please to go to to get all the up to date details into our website which is heart Kids dot or dot au and there's a link there that will take you through to the two feet and a Heartbeat activities, so check that out first and then if you're unable to register beforehand, please go along on the day and support the team and they would absolutely love to have more people involved through well.

Heart Kids Chief of Support Services and Impact, Tanya pots I really appreciate your time this morning, thanks for having a chat with us.

Heart Kids Chief of Support Services and Impact, Tanya pots I really appreciate your time this morning, thanks for having a chat with us.

Thank you very much, and thank you so much for your support of the work we're doing.

Thank you very much, and thank you so much for your support of the work we're doing.

Anytime, Thank you,

Anytime, Thank you,