By Brittany Drysdale
SUPERMAN may be fictional, but the real-life superheroes at GV Vets sure aren’t. On top of all the good they do helping our furry friends, the staff at GV Vets are also raising money for HeartKids.
HeartKids is a not-for-profit charity organisation focused on supporting and advising people impacted by childhood heart disease (CHD), which is one of the largest causes of infant death in Australia. Every day, eight children are born with heart disease, and tragically, four lives are lost each week.
On June 16, workplaces, schools, and childcare centres were encouraged to dress up as superheroes as part of the charities ‘Hero for HeartKids’ day, to raise funds to support children with heart disease and their families.
GV Vets proudly participated in this year’s dress-up day, sporting costumes of fan favourites from Batman to The Incredibles, all in good fun for a good cause.
The impactful fundraiser is an important cause for veterinary nurse Kathrine Byrne, who lost her son Elijah to heart disease when he was just three months old.
“Raising funds and awareness for heartkids is something that we will always hold very close to our hearts. For us this fundraiser is something that we love doing, it helps our family to raise awareness and to keep our son’s memory alive. It means the world to us to be able to help other families who are faced with the challenges of heart disease each day.
“We will always grieve the loss of our son Elijah, but we find it comforting to know that we can make a difference in making other families heart journeys a bit smoother.
“HeartKids were one of the organisations that offered invaluable support during our son’s heart journey, and we will be forever grateful for all of their love, support and care,” said Katherine.
The money raised for HeartKids provides vital support for children and families who are experiencing CHD and helps fund community support programs. This year, over $65,000 has been raised so far across the country to support those suffering from heart disease.
If you would like to donate to this worthwhile cause, visit https://www.hero4heartkids.org.au/campaign/donate/5/be-a-hero-4-heartkids-2023
