Two Feet & A Heartbeat 2026 News Clipping:
Originally posted 13/10/2026 in the Yorke Peninsula Country Times Kadina
Author: Caitlin Menadue
The third annual Two Feet and a Heartbeat walk for HeartKids returns to Moonta Bay this Sunday, October 18, raising funds and awareness for families affected by childhood-onset heart disease.
Among those taking part will be Moonta couple Lauren and Jake Litchfield and their 5-year-old daughter Madeline, who was born with a serious heart condition.
Madeline was diagnosed with transposition of the great arteries and a ventricular septal defect, meaning her major arteries were reversed and she had a hole in her heart.
The condition was detected during Mrs Litchfield’s 20-week prenatal morphology scan, prompting a referral to Adelaide’s Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
At 21 weeks, the couple were told Madeline would need to be born in Adelaide before travelling to Melbourne for open-heart surgery.
At just four hours old, Madeline underwent a septostomy, a procedure allowing blood to mix between the heart’s upper chambers.
Six days after her birth, she underwent open-heart surgery to correct the position of her arteries.
“We were actually one of the lucky ones because what they told us was going to happen, actually did happen and the plan didn’t change,” Mrs Litchfield said.
“It’s a weird thing to feel grateful for.
“Babies and kids are so funny this way, they can be so sick, but they can get better so quickly, or they can look so healthy but there’s actually something there.”
Madeline was looking forward to joining her family and other HeartKids supporters at the Moonta Bay event, Mrs Litchfield said.
“You’re raising awareness and you’re creating that conversation in the community that people then become more aware of how common it is, how many people have been affected and it’s a good feeling having the community around you,” she said.
“I love that it’s here and it’s in our community and we get to support our community of heart kids.
“HeartKids as an organisation, they do such a wonderful job of supporting those families that are going through the worst, people that have to travel for health care, and there’s a point of contact in each state.”
Two Feet and a Heartbeat brings together people living with childhood-onset heart disease, their families, friends and supporters to celebrate milestones and remember lives lost.
Each day in Australia, about eight babies are born with a heart condition, while others develop conditions during childhood.
An estimated 250,000 Australians live with childhood-onset heart disease, with around one million people, including parents, carers and siblings, affected.
Funds raised help HeartKids provide information, practical support, connections and advocacy for affected families across Australia.
People unable to attend an organised event can participate through a virtual walk.
Registration includes access to a local event, an online fundraising page, fundraising resources and a 2026 Two Feet and a Heartbeat multiway bandana.
Registrations are now open.
