RFG franchisees hope to raise a significant amount over the next 12 months from tasty HeartKids Combo’s and customer donations.

Up to $1 from each HeartKids Combo will be donated to HeartKids – a charity devoted to supporting children and their families affected by Childhood Heart Disease and funding much-needed research. The HeartKids Combo varies between the RFG brands and include:
• Donut King: A regular coffee and heart donut
• Michel’s Patisserie: A small coffee and heart cupcake or heart lamington
• Brumby’s Bakeries: A sandwich loaf and four heart cupcakes
• Brumby’s Go!: A regular coffee and heart slice
• bb’s cafe: A small coffee and heart muffin
• Big Dad’s Pies: A pie and heart lamington

HeartKids is Australia’s only charity solely focused on the needs of children and their families affected by Childhood Heart Disease (CHD)

“Awareness of CHD has been one of our greatest challenges”, HeartKids Australia CEO, Mr McWhannell said.

“People and even governments are unaware CHD is the most common birth abnormality and greatest killer of young Australians. Most people think it’s cancer, yet Childhood Heart Disease takes twice as many lives and more than all other childhood diseases combined”.

RFG’s sponsorship gives HeartKids a fantastic boost towards providing full-time family support to heart kids and their families across the country. Presently our resources only allow for part-time Family Support Coordinators in each of the major children’s hospitals and as a result many families, especially those in regional Australia, receive very little if any support.

Mr McWhannell said that RFG’s support will also help HeartKids advocate for more research in to the causes of CHD, including directly-funded research projects.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the support for the HeartKids cause from the whole RFG ‘family’ of corporate management, franchisees and staff”, Mr McWhannell said.

“All 1100 stores are displaying donation boxes and brochures on their counters to help assist raise awareness and financial support for the joint initiative. It’s marvellous.”

“They have made the future brighter for thousands of HeartKids and their families across Australia.”

“We extend a heartfelt thanks to RFG and all the franchisees for this generous and significant level of support.”

Governor-General welcomes children into her home to launch the annual ‘Cuppa for HeartKids’ Campaign

Like most members of the public, the Governor General acknowledged how unaware she was of the high incidence of Childhood Heart Disease, and that it still is the greatest killer of children under 5 in Australia.

Government House, Canberra was alive with laughter and excitement today as Her Excellency Quentin Bryce AC opened her doors to welcome children born with childhood heart disease and their families and officially launch the Cuppa for HeartKids campaign. The function, which included leading paediatric cardiologists, HeartKids Australia corporate partners and key members of the community, was held at Yarralumla to celebrate the launch of the 2010 Cuppa for HeartKids campaign.

“To have the Governor General supporting HeartKids means a great deal to our young charity and to the many thousands of families affected by Childhood Heart Disease each year.” Said HeartKids Australia CEO, Mr Neil McWhannell “We were honoured when Her Excellency offered to host the launch morning tea for the Cuppa for HeartKids campaign, our major national awareness and fund raising initiative. Having endorsement of the Governor General is so special and will assist in generating much needed publicity for our charity. Most people think that cancer is the biggest killer of children under 5, they are always surprised when I tell them that it is actually Childhood Heart Disease (CHD) which takes more lives than all other childhood diseases combined.”

Her Excellency spent the morning talking with families whose lives have been affected by CHD and commented on the impact this had on her.

“Like most Australians I was unaware of the high incidence of Childhood Heart Disease (CHD) within the community and was shocked at the statistics, especially the fact that 6 children are born each day in Australia with these devastating heart conditions and sadly 5 children are lost every week.” said Her Excellency Quentin Bryce AC.

“I encourage all Australians in their homes, workplaces and schools to get behind HeartKids in this simple act of hosting a morning tea to make a real difference to the many thousands of children affected by these congenital heart defects.”
Facts about CHD: Sadly, CHD claims more lives in Australia than all other childhood diseases combined – twice that of childhood cancers. This equates to 35% of all childhood deaths in Australia or put more simply 5 deaths each week. “Most people associate heart defects with older people and think they are caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. They don’t realise how many children are born with heart conditions or acquire them early in life as a result of illness.” said Mr McWhannell
One in every hundred children in Australia is born with a heart condition, which equates to six children a day, making this the most common birth defect in Australia. Most primary schools will have at least one or two children with heart conditions, whilst secondary schools will often have one or two heart kids in every year group.
Cuppa for HeartKids is a simple fundraising initiative, running throughout August and September 2010. This activity is designed to be a fun event where people host a morning/afternoon tea with friends or colleagues to raise both money and awareness and most importantly helping in the fight against CHD.

“Last year was our first Cuppa for HeartKids campaign and we raised over $85,000. This year we have set an ambitious target of $300,000” said Mr McWhannell “as we are a small charity and receive no government funding and rely completely on the generosity of the community to make this campaign a success. We also guarantee that 100% of the monies raise goes directly to the cause. All of our administration and other costs are all covered by one single sponsor – this is not a guarantee that many other charities can make” he said.

A school version of the campaign will also be rolled out “Cupcakes for HeartKids’ where primary schools will hold cake stalls for their students, encouraging kids to support kids in need.

For further information contact:
Heidi Shakespeare – Marketing and Events Officer
0433 859 100 or Heidi.shakespeare@heartkids.org.au

Heart Disease will take the live of 5 Australian Childrens this week

Charli pours tea for Analica Thymakis who was in hospital having a pace maker fitted.

2Day FM radio host and ex Hi-5 performer Charli Delaney met with heart kids at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick to host a tea party and help celebrate the launch of the 2010 Cuppa for HeartKids campaign. Charli sat down with Chloe Field a four year old heart kid who has in her short life endured three open heart surgeries and two and a half year old Analica Thymakis who was in hospital getting a pace maker fitted after her heart stopped beating.

“We are thrilled to have Charli onboard to support this initiative” said HeartKids Australia CEO Neil McWhannell. “Charli is so popular with our kids as was evident today when they all came down to meet her” While the official launch of the campaign will take place at Government House on the 5th of August, the real fun was had today at Randwick.

“We hope that Charli will help generate much needed awareness for Childhood Heart Disease (CHD) as it is still off the radar for much of the population. When people are asked what they think is the biggest killer of children under 5, the top three answers are always SIDS, cancer or road accidents” said Mr McWhannell “They are always surprised when I tell them that it is actually Childhood Heart Disease.”

CHD claims more lives in Australia than all other childhood diseases combined – twice that of childhood cancers. This equates to 35% of all childhood deaths in Australia and is the most common cause for admissions to hospital intensive care units across the country.

Heart disease is more widespread than most people realise. It is the most common birth abnormality, affecting one in every 100 children, that is 6 babies born with CHD every day in Australia.

In its’ 2nd year, the ’Cuppa for HeartKids’ campaign is one of the major fundraising initiatives for HeartKids Australia and this year we hope to raise over $300,000. People are asked to register to host their own morning or afternoon tea at http://www.cuppaforheartkids.org.au

A school version of the campaign will also be rolled out “Cupcakes for HeartKids’ where primary schools will hold cake stalls for their students, encouraging kids to support kids in need.

For further information and additional larger images please contact:
Heidi Shakespeare – Marketing and Events Officer
0433 859 100 or Heidi.shakespeare@heartkids.org.au

Major Sponsor – At a series of launches in February Pasta Master was announced as a Primary Foundation Sponsor of HeartKids. Lunch functions occurred at Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Westmead Children’s Hospital Sydney and the Mater Hospital Brisbane

Pasta Master CEO Chris Szlachetko presenting the cheque to Riley Brown and his parents. Dr David Winlaw, who is to have his research funded thorugh our corporate donations, looks on.