December, 2023

There has been so much going on at Global ARCH it's hard to know where to begin! Many member organization leaders, and those on the Global ARCH Board of Directors and Medical Advisory Board, have been travelling the globe to speak out about the needs of CHD and RHD patients. Just a handful of them are mentioned below.

We have reached a milestone with 87 member organizations from 43 countries - making Global ARCH a truly global voice. To help lead us and keep us on track we have our terrific new Executive Director, who many of you have met either in person or virtually. 2023 has been a transformational year and we are looking forward to keeping the momentum going - and much more - in 2024.

From all of us at Global ARCH, we wish you and your family a very happy, safe, and healthy holiday season.

Conference and Meeting Updates

Pediatric Cardiology Society of India’s Conference

Global ARCH Board of Director members, and intrepid travellers Amy Verstappen and Bistra Zheleva, participated in the Pediatric Cardiology Society of India’s Conference in Chennai, India. Bistra was part of the Children’s HeartLink team running training to strengthen nurses in pediatric cardiac care. Amy participated in lively discussions on ACHD care, and addressed the need to include congenital heart care in government health packages to help every patient with childhood-onset heart disease achieve their right to health. She was joined by esteemed cardiologists from throughout India and the world, including Geetha Kavandello, ACHD specialist from IJN, and Kuberan Pushparajah, pediatric cardiologist, Evelina London Children's Hospital, and member of the Chain of Hope Advisory Board. 

CHD Awareness Day in Cape Town, South Africa

Thanks to advocacy and awareness efforts by Brave Little Hearts South Africa, and ambassador Thaakirah Matthews, who was born with complex CHD, CHD Awareness Day was celebrated in South Africa on December 3 - also the date of Thaakirah's birthday.

Thaakirah met the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, and presented him with a letter that she wrote advocating for CHD. This letter led to the government implementing the first National CHD Awareness Day in South Africa on 3 December 2020, and is still running.

World Heart Day celebration in Namibia

Dr. Mbawala, a pediatric cardiologist from Ongwediva Medi-Park, spoke at the University of Namibia Oshakati Campus about rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease to both an in-person and virtual audience. Among the attendees were the campus directors, lecturers from the university and Welwitchia Health Training Centre, a medical intern and a nurse from the local hospital, as well as the nursing students. The event was organized by Namibia Rheumatic And Congenital Hearts (NARCH) in collaboration with University of Namibia. Global ARCH Board of Directors member Lavinia Ndemutila Ndinangoye, founder of RHD is Not Disability/Namibian Rheumatic and Congenital Hearts said "It is a dream come true as they are looking forward to more events in Namibia concerning RHD and CHD."

Please watch and vote!

The Children's Heart Federation has a short film nominated for the Smiley Charity Film awards.

We’d love to hear about what you and/or your organization is doing, and we will help spread the news. Please contact us at info@global-arch.org.

If you have a colleague who might like to join please ask them to visit our website.

To see our current list of member organizations please click HERE.