History

The Children’s Heartbeat Trust started out as ‘Heartbeat’ in 1984 as a support group for parents of children with congenital heart disease.

Mr Frank Caddy was the first chairperson, and he found that many parents wished to give something back to Clark Clinic. The organisation asked the first paediatric cardiologist, the now retired Dr Connor Mulholland (current Chairman of Trustees) what the ward needed, and so the first Echo Scanner was purchased for Clark Clinic in 1985.

Over the past 25 years ‘Heartbeat’ has provided essential equipment and resources for Clark Clinic, highlights being the parents accommodation above Clark Clinic and the ‘Heartbeat Suite’ – a pioneering centre providing innovative tele-care for parents in the home.

As well as providing financial support to Clark Clinic the organisation itself grew, with locally based groups forming throughout the province to provide parent-led support at a local level.

Throughout the years parent support was also provided through the use of caravans for local families, and the publishing of various pieces of literature for parents, teachers and health professionals.

In 2008, ‘Heartbeat’ became part of the renamed Children’s Heartbeat Trust (previously Children’s Heart Trust) to create a closer working relationship between the Trustees and Parents Groups.

Until 2009 the charity was completely dependent on volunteers; however the time and energy required to meet the needs and challenges of today, led the charity towards the appointment of a full-time Executive Officer in July 2009.

With the introduction of the Charities Commission to Northern Ireland in 2010, we are facing a new era for charities in Northern Ireland, aiming to marry our successful past with a dynamic future.

Our central aim as always remains the provision of effective support for families of children with heart disease in Northern Ireland.