Tiny Tickers is a small national charity helping improve the detection, care and treatment of babies with serious heart conditions. We want every baby with a serious heart condition to have the best chance of survival and quality of life. Founded in 1999 by world-renowned fetal cardiologist Dr Helena Gardiner, she realised many of the babies she was caring for could have been helped earlier.

 

Despite congenital heart disease being one of the biggest killers of infants in the UK, only around half of congenital heart defects are picked up during routine prenatal scanning. One in every 125 babies is born with a heart problem. And over 1,000 newborns leave hospitals in the UK every year with no one realising they have a potentially life-threatening heart condition.  We want to increase early detection rates of cardiac conditions thus improving a baby’s chances of survival and long-term quality of life. 

Since we were founded nearly 20 years ago, the national prenatal detection rates in the UK have doubled from 23% to around 50%. Babies who are discharged from hospital without a diagnosis may fall into heart failure before anyone knows how critically ill they are; causing long term health issues or disabilities and sadly, some babies will die before they can access the help they need.

Treatment for congenital heart disease (including open heart surgery) has advanced rapidly in recent years. Most babies with heart conditions will go on to live a full life – if they receive treatment in time. Our job is to ensure they make it to the operating table.

​

Please donate today to help more tiny hearts get a better start in life. Visit www.tinytickers.org or text TINY 5 to 70085 to donate £5*

 

(* To make a donation, text TINY 5 to 70085 - this costs £5 plus a standard rate message)

 

​

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @tinytickers 

 

 

​