Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has connected with an Australian charity to raise awareness of conditions that currently affects 32,000 children.
Heartkids Australia is a national organisation that aims to support the treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD) in people under the age of 18.
Starting out as a support group for parents concerned with the daily care of children presenting with CHD, the organisation has grown into a national movement with distinct chapters that service the needs of individual states.
In particular, the organisation aims to provide support to families of young patients who may be struggling to meet the challenges that these conditions can bring, while also helping to raise funds for future research.
Cardiologists specialising in congenital and acquired juvenile heart disease have been known to partner up with the charity organisation to investigate avenues that could lead to a reduction in the mortality rate of these chronic problems that are present in six children born every day.
Mr Rudd has an affinity for these special children - he was afflicted with rheumatic fever as a child and experienced a battle with the inflammatory disease and the carditis it can cause.
In a 30-second video uploaded by the charity to their YouTube channel, the former prime minister encourages viewers to explore what they can do to help both the young sufferers and their parents.
"It's a frightening journey - for them and for their families," Mr Rudd explained.
"We can support these Heartkids - and their families - by supporting the Heartkids charity."
To help get the message out into the public domain, the video will feature prominently on TV as a community service announcement.
The chief executive of Heartkids Australia Jann Kingston explained that she hoped Mr Rudd's involvement with the charity would help to raise more awareness of the "devastating disease" by combining his personal experience with a powerful nonprofit message.
"That message is that, with support and care, many children with CHD can not only survive but thrive, and more research can be funded to reduce the incidence and impact of both congenital and acquired heart disease," said Ms Kingston.
"Mr Rudd's openness about his own heart disease experience also delivers a very important message to the 32,000 Australian children under the age of 18 living with heart disease."
