Good luck to all of the riders who are biking from Katoomba to The Children's Hospital at Westmead this weekend, and thank you so much for your support!  We look forward to seeing you at the finish line. 

The Ride Your Heart Out event (an 80km ride) will be raising funds towards a new Heart Lung Machine.  For more information, go to www.rideyourheartout.com.au

A Heart Lung Machine costs a whopping $500,000 - but over 10 years it will help to save thousands of young lives.

Thanks to the generosity of many donors, the hard work of several fundraisers, and the unwavering support of families affected by Congenital Heart Disease, we are delighted to announce that we have just clicked over $110,000 raised towards this vital piece of equipment.

Every dollar helps.  For more information see the Heart Lung Machine Fundraising page, or contact the Heart Centre Manager on (02) 9845 2326.

Last year this mud run and obstacle course was a huge hit with staff and families who participated.  This year promises to be even bigger and better!  If you are up for a challenge, with plenty of different obstacles for any fitness level, and you want to fundraise for a good cause, join us on the 22nd of March for Grin and Bear It.

For more information and to sign up, head to http://bandagedbear.org.au/fundraising-event/grin-and-bear-it/

One of our little patients, Eli, was on 7 News on Friday with his Mum, Elissa.  Eli has cardiomyopathy and is likely to need a heart transplant.  Elissa and our very own Dr Phil Roberts are encouraging families to talk about organ donation and what they would want if the worst were to happen to one of them or their children - in the hope that we can increase organ donation rates in Australia and give little guys like Eli a second chance. 

Watch the video here:

Mohammad is a brave young man and a talented soccer player who was diagnosed with a heart condition at the age of three that eventually meant he needed a heart transplant.  In this short clip he talks about the struggle of having to sit on the sidelines while his friends played sports, and coming to terms with needing a new heart, as well as the importance of organ donation (from someone who both gave and received).  Thank you to Transplant Australia for making the video and sharing it on YouTube, and to Mohammad's family for allowing us to share his story.