Little Heart Heroes Pediatric resident develops a camp for kids Summer camp is a rite of passage for many kids. It’s a time for them to experience independence while participating in fun activities and also a great way to meet new friends. For children with complex chronic medical conditions, like those with heart disease, summer camp is not as accessible as it is for others. That’s why Devin Chetan, a pediatric resident, created The Little Heart Heroes Fund and the Heart Heroes Camp. The inspiration for the summer camp stemmed from Chetan’s interactions with families during his medical training. “If we can make things a little bit easier for the kids and their families and give them a chance they otherwise wouldn’t get, that’s what it’s all about for us,” says Chetan.
ted the Little Devin Chetan (left) crea r children born Heart Heroes Camp fo with heart disease.
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Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta
The Little Heart Heroes programs were created to promote independence among campers and allow them to discover they aren’t alone–other kids have faced similar challenges. The main event every summer is Heart Heroes Camp, a medically-supervised summer camp for children born with heart disease. For one weekend, nurses and doctors from the Stollery Children’s Hospital become camp counsellors and take over the medical care for these children to ensure that all the kids and their families have to worry about is having fun.