Otago Branch Newsletter

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HEART CHILDREN CONFERENCE 2007 Heart Children New Zealand holds a conference every two years. This year it was held in Auckland, and after much deliberation, I decided to attend. My indecisiveness was caused due to thinking that the conference was meant for committee members to attend, and the most support we as a family had needed from Heart Children, was upon diagnosis and sorting corrective surgery for our daughter Grace. This event now being eight years ago, I considered conference to not ultimately not really apply to us. How wrong I was. Firstly, the conference is completely geared up for parents and even extended families of heart children. Friday night comprised of a very entertaining speaker, Mr Andrew Fiu who is the author of a very successful booked titled “Purple Heart”. He entertained everyone with a brief recollection of some of his life experiences of being a heart child and dealing with rheumatic fever. Saturday was the main information day, with dual seminars running throughout the day. You decided which topic interested you most, with each topic taking around 1 - 1 ½ hours. Topics covered included things like heart formation, dental care, scans, and dealing with stress. One very interesting seminar was on being a adult heart children and transitioning from parents making medical decisions to health choices being made by the adult heart child, and how to deal with some of life’s issues like alcohol, and for the females, pregnancy. These issues are further down the track for all of us and conference did exceptionally well to make as much information as possible available to the attending families. As there is a growing population of adult heart children, support groups are currently trying to be established. Saturday night was a very lively evening with a dinner and dance with a special appearance from Elvis to entertain us all. Sunday concluded with medical updates from the paediatric cardiologists, and the huge progress which has been made in techniques and survival rates over the past ten years is nothing short of incredible. So with information overload, we all headed homeward bound by Sunday lunch time. Having shared this experience with a lot of very friendly strangers on Friday evening, we departed as friends by Sunday. The organization by Heart Children New Zealand to hold this event is absolutely phenomenal. From travel arrangements, accommodation, copious quantities of fabulous food, speakers, specialists, nursing staff and health professionals, it is an event well worth supporting. So if you are ever contacted in the future by one of the committee members and offered to attend a conference, don’t deliberate. Conference is entirely for you, and without a doubt you will enjoy the experience. Bronny Finnerty P.S you don’t have to wait to be asked! Coffee Mornings Friday November 2 nd Friday December 7 th Come and join us for fine food and great company in a child friendly environment. We meet at 5 Wray St in Brockville 9.30am-11.30am Mark these dates on your calendar Look forward to seeing you there
Birthday Greetings October Juan Garcia Zachariah Hewlett Rebeka Dobson Bryce Neaves Caleb Robinson Rachel Mc Indoe-Baker Elijah Hewlett Elizabeth Milburn November Robin Butler Courtney Drinkwater Joshua Hosking Dylan Pettinger Jacob Stevenson Teea Francis Amber Hosking Adam Neaves Keeley Stewart Regan Martin Jessica Hellyer Kristina Merritt Jordan Robins Mickayla Drinkwater Patrick Beamish December Laura Curtin Tegan Robins Joshua Holland Ethan Wilson Alexander Merritt Bryleigh Webb- McLeod Straun Stringer-Wright Best Wishes to you all. Santa Parade Sunday December 2 nd. This year we propose to put a float in the annual Dunedin Christmas Parade. We have the use of a couple of large American cars to fill up with your children! This will be a great opportunity to get some public exposure for Heart Children. We would like an expression of interest to participate. Some people will be required to walk as well and hand out lollies etc. The parade is scheduled to start at 3pm. After the parade we plan to have a B.B.Q at the Woodhaugh Gardens. This will be our last social event for the year. We hope to see as many of you there as possible. Please ring a committee member or email us heartchildrenotago@hotmail.com Dental Care. Your Heart Child may need antibiotic cover for dental work. Ask your cardiologist or pediatrician if you are not sure. Library Library We We have have a a small small small library library with with topical topical topical books books for for Hea Heart Hea rt Children, available available at Coffee Mornings Mornings. Mornings We We also also have have a a new new Heart Heart Children Children book book just just published published published this this this year. year. It It is is an an antidotal antidotal account account of of living living with with a a Heart Heart Heart Child. Child. This This book book is is very very good good read. read. If you would would like a copy or if you you would would like like to to view view the the library library then then ring ring Bernadette. Bernadette.
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