Learn & Share

Show & Tell

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for daily activities and get your community involved.

Week 1: September 1-7

September 1
Tell everyone about Children’s Cardiomyopathy Awareness Month by posting facts on pediatric cardiomyopathy and changing your Facebook and Twitter profile picture to CCF’s Awareness Month logo. To download social media images and fact sheets on the disease, click here.

September 2
Encourage family and friends to join you in wearing Team CCF t-shirts and red cure bands to raise awareness of Children’s Cardiomyopathy Awareness Month. To purchase your CCF awareness items, click here.

September 3
Share this Fact: Cardiomyopathy is a chronic condition in which the heart muscle is abnormally enlarged, thickened, and/or stiffened affecting the heart’s ability to pump blood. When severe, the disease may lead to heart failure and/or sudden cardiac death. For more information, visit CCF's website.

September 4
Tell friends about a heart kid that you know and about the many children who are battling this disease, regardless of age, race, or gender. Ask them to “like” CCF's Facebook page.

September 5
Distribute CCF materials to physician offices, hospitals, community centers, churches, and libraries to educate others about pediatric cardiomyopathy. To order CCF materials, click here.

September 6
Organize a team for CCF’s Walk for a Cure to be held on Sunday, September 29, in Northern New Jersey. If you are out of state, you can plan your own hometown walk or support the event as a virtual walker. To learn more about registering your heart team or walk event, click here.

September 7
Share this Fact: There are five different forms of cardiomyopathy - dilated, hypertrophic, restrictive, arrhythmogenic right ventricular, and left ventricular non-compaction. For more information, visit the American Heart Association page on Pediatric Cardiomyopathies, which was jointly developed with CCF.

Week 2: September 8-14

September 8
Tell friends about a heart kid that you know and the daily challenges that children with cardiomyopathy face. Ask them to “like” CCF's Facebook page.

September 9
Share this Fact: Cardiomyopathy is different from congenital heart defects. Cardiomyopathy affects the heart’s muscle and pumping function, whereas congenital heart defects affect the heart’s structure and/or vessels. For clarification, download CCF's FAQ Sheet.

September 10
Educate school staff with CCF’s cardiomyopathy materials and ensure that your diagnosed child receives appropriate accommodations and modifications with CCF’s Ensuring a Good Learning Environment school guide. To download CCF’s Cardiomyopathy School Resource Kit, click here.

September 11
Share this Fact: Symptoms vary with different forms of cardiomyopathy. Common symptoms include difficulty breathing, fatigue, fainting, dizziness or light-headedness, chest pain, and heart palpitations. For more information, visit CCF's website.

September 12
Give a school presentation on cardiomyopathy to educate your child’s school staff, nurse, and students about the disease. To download CCF’s school presentation guidelines and outline, click here.

September 13
Share this Fact: Although cardiomyopathy can either be inherited or acquired through a viral infection or cancer chemotherapy, 75% of diagnosed children do not have a known cause. For more information, visit CCF's website.

September 14
Invite a local Girl Scouts or Boy Scout troop to help raise awareness of cardiomyopathy in the community. Create heart posters, offer red apple cider, and set up an information table with CCF educational materials. Contact CCF for activities that complement the Girl Scout Journey Program.

Week 3: September 15-21

September 15
Share this Fact: A cardiomyopathy diagnosis often involves frequent doctor visits, daily medication, surgical interventions, and activity restrictions. For more information, visit CCF's website.

September 16
Share CCF posts from CCF's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram sites to remind others that a child with cardiomyopathy may have psychosocial issues related to the restrictions and uncertainties of living with a chronic and potentially life-threatening disease.

September 17
Volunteer or train to become a CCF Ambassador and assist CCF with medical outreach, patient support, and advocacy/awareness projects. To learn more about getting involved, click here.

September 18
Tell colleagues and friends that there is no cure for cardiomyopathy and there is a critical need for more research. Set up a Facebook fundraiser and ask friends to contribute to CCF’s research programs. For more information on set up, click here.

September 19
Share this Fact: A heart affected by cardiomyopathy cannot be surgically repaired, and a heart transplant may be the only option once the condition progresses to severe heart failure. For more information, visit CCF's website.

September 20
Honor someone with cardiomyopathy or recognize a physician or nurse who cares for children with cardiomyopathy by setting up a Facebook event. For more information on set up, click here.

September 21
Cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest in the young, and AEDs can save lives. Find an AED in your neighborhood, take a selfie, and post the photo with its location on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter using the hashtag #protectkidshearts.

Week 4: September 22-28

September 22
Review the sudden cardiac arrest risk factors with your family physician, child’s pediatrician, or school nurse to determine if your family should be monitored. Recognizing the risk factors associated with cardiomyopathy is the first step to prevention. To download CCF’s risk factor sheet, click here.

September 23
Learn more about “Evaluation and Diagnostic Screening in Pediatric Cardiomyopathy” from Dr. Melanie Everitt, Director of Pediatric Heart Transplant at Children’s Hospital Colorado. To participate in the Expert Q&A session, join CCF Connect here.

September 24
Participate in our CCF webinar to learn about "Transitional Care for Cardiomyopathy Patients from Pediatric to Adult Care" from Dr. Leigh Reardon, Director of the Transitional Cardiac Care Program at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. To register for the webinar, click here.

September 25
Share this Fact: Knowing your family health history is critical to preventing premature death. Discuss your family’s heart health with a doctor to determine your family’s risk level for cardiomyopathy and sudden cardiac arrest. To learn about collecting information on family health, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

September 26
Tell friends about a heart kid that you know and how undiagnosed children with cardiomyopathy are at a higher risk for sudden cardiac arrest. Learn more.

September 27
Write a letter to your elected representative and senators asking them to make cardiomyopathy a federal and state priority. Check out CCF's legislative priorities and use these tools to become an effective advocate.

September 28
Share this Fact: Cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of heart transplants in children over one year of age. For more information, visit CCF's website.

Week 5: September 29-30

September 29
Join us today for CCF's Walk for a Cure and celebrate a successful awareness month! Support our ongoing efforts to raise awareness by registering for the walk and/or sponsoring a team. To participate, click here.

September 30
Tell friends about a heart kid that you know and remind them that we need to continue building awareness of pediatric cardiomyopathy because every affected child hopes to live a full and active life. To continue your involvement beyond Awareness Month, click here.