(INDIANAPOLIS) – More than 3,000 babies born in Indiana in February will be decked out in reds hats courtesy of the American Heart Association’s “Little Hats, Big Hearts” program.
American Heart Association staff will deliver the tiny hats to more than 30 hospitals across the state beginning this week. The hats were lovingly hand made by more than 200 volunteers.
February is American Heart Month, and the week of Feb. 7-14 is Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week. Heart disease remains the No. 1 cause of death in the United States and in Indiana, and congenital heart defects (CHDs) are the leading birth defect in newborns. Approximately 1 of every 110 babies is born with a CHD, and 25 percent of those require invasive surgery within the first year.
The Little Hats, Big Hearts program raises awareness about both while offering new parents information about living a heart-healthy life.
Participating hospitals include:
- Community Hospital East – Indianapolis
- Community Hospital North – Indianapolis
- Community Hospital South – Indianapolis
- Community Hospital Anderson – Anderson
- Community Hospital – Munster
- Community Howard Regional Health – Kokomo
- Elkhart General Hospital – Elkhart
- Eskenazi Health – Indianapolis
- Franciscan Health Crown Point -Crown Point
- Franciscan Health Hammond – Hammond
- Franciscan Health Indianapolis – Indianapolis
- Franciscan Health Michigan City – Michigan City
- Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette
- Good Samaritan Hospital – Vincennes
- Goshen Health System – Goshen
- Hendricks Regional Health – Danville
- Highpoint Health – Lawrenceburg
- IU Health Arnett Hospital – Lafayette
- IU Health West – Avon
- Major Hospital -Shelbyville
- Memorial Hospital of South Bend – South Bend
- Methodist Hospitals – Merrillville / Gary
- Parkview Health – Fort Wayne
- Parkview Huntington Hospital – Huntington
- Parkview LaGrange Hospital – LaGrange
- Parkview Noble Hospital – Kendallville
- Parkview Whitley Hospital – Columbia City
- Porter Regional Hospital – Chesterton
- Saint Joseph Health System – Mishawaka
- St. Catherine Hospital – East Chicago
- St. Mary Medical Center – Hobart
- St.Vincent Kokomo – Kokomo
- Union Hospital – Terre Haute
- Witham Hospital – Lebanon
This is the fifth year the American Heart Association has delivered red hats for newborns in February. More than 16,000 babies have received the hats. Volunteers interested in donating materials or knitting or crocheting hats for next year, or hospitals that would like to participate in the program, should call the American Heart Association at (317) 732-4700.
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a leading force for a world of longer, healthier lives. With nearly a century of lifesaving work, the Dallas-based association is dedicated to ensuring equitable health for all. We are a trustworthy source empowering people to improve their heart health, brain health, and well-being. We collaborate with numerous organizations and millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, advocate for stronger public health policies, and share lifesaving resources and information.
