Helping children
face heart surgery with courage
Heart Buddies is a charitable initiative supporting children undergoing heart surgery.
Through therapeutic play, Heart Buddies helps children with congenital heart disease prepare emotionally for heart surgery.
Children with congenital heart disease face more than surgery
Every year thousands of children are born with congenital heart disease. Many will face multiple hospital visits, procedures, and open heart surgeries throughout childhood.
While doctors treat the heart, children often struggle with fear and uncertainty.
They need emotional support too.
1 in 100
1 in 100 children are born with congenital heart disease.
One of the most common birth conditions
affecting children worldwide.
900+
More than 900 children undergo heart surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital each year.
Behind every surgery is a child facing fear and uncertainty.
70%
Medical play therapy has been shown to reduce anxiety in children.
Helping young patients understand treatment makes surgery less frightening.
Meet The Heart Buddy Bear
Heart Buddy Bear is a therapy bear designed to help children understand and prepare for heart surgery through gentle, supportive play.
Each bear has a soft Velcro opening with a removable heart, helping children explore where their heart is and what doctors are helping to fix.
For many children with congenital heart disease, hospital visits happen more than once. Heart Buddy Bear becomes a familiar friend through every stay, something soft to hold and a reminder that they are brave.
The idea for Heart Buddies began with one very brave little girl.
Phoebe’s Story
Phoebe was born with a rare congenital heart condition called truncus arteriosus. Within hours of her birth she was rushed to hospital and underwent open heart surgery in the first days of her life.
She then spent the first three months of her life in intensive care.
During this time her family witnessed the extraordinary courage shown by children facing heart surgery. They also saw how frightening and confusing the hospital experience can be for young patients.
Heart Buddies was created so that children facing heart surgery have something comforting to hold, something that helps them understand what is happening, and something that reminds them they are not alone.