Who We Are
Where Our Heartbeat Began
Heart Beats Children’s Society of Calgary was founded in 1987 by two courageous mothers who shared a common challenge: navigating life with children born with congenital heart defects (CHD). Realizing there was a lack of resources and support for families facing similar struggles, they set out to create a grassroots organization dedicated to filling that gap.
What began as a small community effort has grown into a lifeline for countless families. For over three decades, Heart Beats has provided vital information, emotional support, and financial assistance to families of children with heart defects. Guided by the same spirit of compassion and resilience as its founders, Heart Beats continues to ensure no family faces this journey alone.
Our Mission
Heart Beats is dedicated to supporting children with congenital heart defects and their families by providing resources, emotional support, and financial assistance while striving for a world where every child with a heart condition and their family has access to the tools and connections they need to thrive on their heart journey.
Our Core Values
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Compassion
Supporting families with understanding, kindness, and care through every stage of their heart journey.
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Community
Fostering a strong, inclusive network where families feel supported, seen, and never alone.
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Support
Providing wraparound support, resources, and advocacy to help families confidently navigate the challenges of CHD.
Together for Little Hearts
Heart Beats is proud to partner with the Western Canadian Children’s Heart Network (WCCHN), a collaborative network that connects five leading children’s hospitals across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
The network includes two pediatric cardiac surgical centers, BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver and the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton, along with three referring centers: Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary, Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon, and the Children’s Hospital HSC in Winnipeg.
By uniting top medical teams and facilities across provincial borders, WCCHN is advancing care and delivering life-changing support to children and families throughout Western Canada. Guided by the mission “Putting Little Hearts in Good Hands,” the network is committed to ensuring every child receives personalized, high-quality cardiac care—no matter where they live.
To learn more about WCCHN’s work and impact, visit wcchn.ca.
Supporting Local Cardiac Care
Heart Beats is proud to support and collaborate with the Providence Pediatric Cardiology Clinic, a trusted center of excellence in pediatric cardiac care located in Calgary, Alberta.
Providence Clinic plays a vital role in supporting families throughout their heart journey by offering specialized testing, ongoing monitoring, and expert insight into congenital and acquired heart conditions.
The clinic offers a full range of pediatric cardiology services including consultations, echocardiography, electrocardiography, treadmill stress tests, and holter monitoring. Their expert team of cardiologists, including Dr. Frank Dicke and Dr. Steven Greenway, work closely with children and families across Southern Alberta and surrounding provinces to provide essential diagnostics and compassionate care.
Together, we ensure that every child receives the expert care they need, close to home, and supported by a community that cares.