Community & Business
24 October, 2021
Community walks 4km for Heartkids
A MAREEBA family impacted by a Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) banded together over the weekend with their friends and the wider community to help raise awareness for a cause close to their hearts.
The Madrid family, joined by friends, neighbours and community members all walked a 4km loop last Sunday as they participated in the HeartKids Two Feet and a Heartbeat walk.
HeartKids is a national organisation that supports families and children who have CHD’s, they provide information around the defect and the challenges that come with it.
Participants walk 4km to represent the one in four babies that are diagnosed with a CHD everyday.
One and a half year old Rafael Madrid was diagnosed with CHD and was required to undergo open heart surgery just a few weeks after being born.
“We were going to head to Cairns (for the walk) but we started to get the word out and we had a lot of friends and family who wanted to support us,” mother Monica said.
The family then changed their registration to virtual and participated in the walk from their hometown.
“We got about 30 people who wanted to join, we just marked out a 4km loop around Anzac Avenue and Ceola Drive,” Monica continued.
“HeartKids is important to us because of Rafael but we also wanted to raise awareness.”
HeartKids has two major fundraising days throughout the year, one being Sweetheart Day on Valentines Day and the Two Feet and a Heartbeat walk.
