Matthew’s Hearts of Hope, Inc. (MHOH) was founded by Marie Hatcher, Mom to Matthew, to raise awareness to the number one birth defect, Congenital Heart Defects (CHDs), offer support to CHD patients and their families, as well as raise funds for research. We are an official 501 (c) (3), non profit organization with a Board of Directors comprised of four nurses, one pediatrician and two pediatric cardiologists amongst others.
CHD is an abbreviation for Congenital Heart Defect. Congenital means it is present at birth. Heart defects begin in the early stages of pregnancy when the baby’s heart is forming.
Approximately 40,000 babies are born each year in the United States with a CHD. That equates to 1 out of 125 babies born with a heart defect.
It is the #1 birth defect with more occurrences than Spina Bifida, Down syndrome or hearing loss yet many are not aware of this condition.
There are approximately 35 different types of congenital heart defects.
Today, most heart defects can be corrected or helped with surgery, medicine, or devices, such as artificial valves and pacemakers. In the last 25 years, advances in treatment of heart defects have enabled half a million U.S. children with significant heart defects to survive into adulthood.
