Newborn Babies at Henry Mayo Celebrate Heart Month with Special Little Hats

Signal Contributor
February 8, 2017
2:30 am

Babies born at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in February are receiving red hats knitted and crocheted by volunteers for the American Heart Association (AHA) in celebration of Heart Month. Henry Mayo is participating in the AHA’s Little Hats, Big Hearts program, which raises awareness of heart disease, the number one killer of Americans, and congenital heart defects, the most common type of birth defect in the country. Eight in 1,000 babies are born with a heart defect.

More than 1,600 babies in Los Angeles will receive a little red hat in February as part of the American Heart Association’s new Little Hats, Big Hearts program aimed at promoting healthy babies and moms. As part of the collaborative program with The Children’s Heart Foundation, sponsored locally by Union Bank, newborn babies in more than 400 hospitals in 40 states across the country will receive hats.

Registered Nurse, Cathy Butler, left, Charge Nurse Lisa Lavizani next to her hold two-day-old twins Vincent and Julian Mouradian as they wear red hats presented to them by Katy (cq) Ciempa, VP of Development, American Heart Association and Clayton Coleman, Managing Director, Regional Manager, Union Bank in the Women’s Services department at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia on Wednesday. More than 1600 babies in Los Angeles will receive red hats as part of the Little Hats, Big Hearts program aimed at promoting heathier babies and moms in Feburary. Dan Watson/The Signal

“Our goal with Little Hats, Big Hearts is not only to raise awareness, but also to encourage moms to live heart-healthy and help their children do the same,” said Shawn Casey, Affiliate Development Officer for the American Heart Association. “We send our message of thanks to the volunteers who knitted and crocheted the red hats, the participating hospitals, and our sponsor Union Bank for supporting the program’s Los Angeles debut. We look forward to making it a wonderful annual tradition.”

Registered Nurse Cathy Butler places red hats on two-day-old twins Vincent and Julian Mouradian at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital on Wednesday as part of the American Heart Association’s Little Hats, Big Hearts program. More than 1600 babies will receive red hats in February as part of Heart Month to promote healthier babies and moms. Dan Watson/The Signal

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans, and each year at least 40,000 babies are born with congenital heart defects, the most common type of birth defect. Little Hats, Big Hearts, which raises awareness of heart disease and congenital heart defects, began in Chicago in 2014.

American Heart Month is an annual celebration in February that began in 1964 to encourage Americans to join the battle against heart disease. A presidential proclamation pays tribute each year to researchers, physicians, public health professionals and volunteers for their tireless efforts in preventing, treating and researching heart disease.

For more information on the program, visit the American Heart Association’s website at www.heart.org/LittleHatsBigHearts. Follow Little Hats, Big Hearts in LA with #LittleHatsLA.

For more on Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital please visit www.henrymayo.com or call 661-200-2000.

For more information, about the American Heart Association call your local American Heart Association at 213-291-7000 or visit heart.org/losangeles.