What is HLHS Feel the Beat and Why Is It Important?

If you’ve been keeping up with the new and improved HLHS Cause to Cure blog, you’ve no doubt seen the recent excitement regarding the HLHS Feel the Beat 2014 event that will take place on Saturday, Nov. 8 at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. So, what exactly is Feel the Beat? Feel the Beat started in 2013 as team members for the Todd and Karen Wanek Family Program for HLHS asked themselves, “How can we thank our research participants and their families for all that they’ve done for our program?” The answer was to invite them to Mayo Clinic for a fun-filled day of seeing how their participation in the HLHS program is making a difference for the future of HLHS. It was a day to remember our HLHS angels, celebrate our warriors, and come together to increase awareness and support for HLHS. The successful event was much bigger than any of the team members could have imagined. Thus began the tradition of HLHS Feel the Beat. We are excited that Feel the Beat 2014 is continuing that theme of thanking our participants, families, collaborators and advocates for all that they continue to do to transform the future of HLHS. This year we’ll highlight the research that continues to positively impact HLHS and hear from inspiring guests as they talk about the hope they have for the future. Come for the food, come for the fun, come for the opportunity to meet other families, and come to hear how we’re changing the next generation of HLHS. We’ll save you a seat.

The Todd and Karen Wanek Family Program for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) is a collaborative network of specialists bonded by the vision of delaying or preventing heart failure for individuals affected by congenital heart defects including HLHS. The specialized team is addressing the various aspects of these defects by using research and clinical strategies ranging from basic science, to diagnostic imaging to regenerative therapies.