The annual Two Feet and A Heartbeat walk went from Town Green to the end of the breakwall, on Sunday September 9 2018, and raised much-needed funds to help Heart Kids, and find a cure for the disease.

Congenital heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in Australian babies.  Port Macquarie mum Caitlin Walter was there with her daughter, Kylah, who has had extensive heart surgery since she was a tiny baby.

Caitlin says the charity Heart Kids has been very important to their family.

“They had meetings for all the parents to sit down and talk, which was great,” she said.

Her mother, Melinda Walter, says Heart Kids helped the family with accommodation, transport costs and food vouchers when they had to travel to hospital in Sydney and stay with Kylah.

“We want to give back, and help in any way we can,” she said.

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Before the 1.6km  walk there was a small ceremony to remember the Heart Angels, all of the children who have died from the disease, and there was a picnic lunch afterwards.

Samantha Wright and her family were there, and are very grateful to Heart Kids, which helped them immensely.

“It’s nearly two years since we spent six months in Westmead hospital in Sydney,” said the Wauchope mum.

“Ahzara was born with congenital heart disease and she had two open heart surgeries.  Since then she has been kicking goals.  Heart Kids has been our saving grace.”

Leesa Baxter is also very grateful to the charity, which helped her family when daughter Ashley had to have a heart operation when she was just six days old.

The Heart Kids website is: https://www.heartkids.org.au/