Brave Little Hearts S.A.

Brave Little Hearts S.A. Globally, nearly 1 in 100 babies are born with a Congenital Heart Defect - CHD is the No 1 Birth Defect in the World

Brave Little Hearts SA (BLHSA) is the Leading Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) Advocacy, Awareness and Heart Patient/Family Education organisation based in Cape Town, South Africa. BLHSA was established in Honour of the Bravery and Courage of Thaakirah Matthews in December 2014 on her 4th birthday, after she triumphed against all odds undergoing two Heart and two Brain operations before her 4th birt

hday. Thaakirah was born with rare Critical Congenital Heart Defects(CCHD) known as Double Outlet Right Ventricle (DORV), Transposition of the Great Arteries(TGA), Pulmonary Stenosis(PS), Ventricular Septal Defect(VSD) and a defective valve. The combination of her complex heart defects was statistically classed as 1 in 500 000 which falls into 1 – 3% of the global CHD cases. BLHSA strives to share hope, advocate for and educate on CHD through awareness and also offer holistic support to all heart families of children born with Congenital Heart Disease. Brave Little Heart Thaakirah's story can be read and viewed at these links;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ4eGtEyA3s
http://childrenshospitaltrust.org.za/thaakirah/
https://www.westerncape.gov.za/news/living-congenital-heart-disease
http://www.pcssa.org/heart-heros/
http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/western-cape/meet-cape-town-s-miracle-girl-1.1817182
http://www.vocfm.co.za/thaakirah-a-brave-little-
heart/

Get Involved in creating awareness for children born with Congenital Heart Disease by sharing this Page.

11/06/2026

Huge congratulations to Prof Liezl Zuhlke. Paediatric cardiologist (just one of her many achievements) at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. Helping so many babies and children with congenital heart disease. We are so proud of you. 🫀

20/05/2026
30/04/2026

70 years later... Still doing amazing work and saving so many lives.

We are forever gratefull and love you with all our hearts 💙❤️

05/03/2026

6 years ago and the journey still continues.

They smile through it all because this is their normal. The hospital is their normal, the doctors are their normal, operations are their normal. They run through the corridors like running in a playground. They are the strongest individuals that I know.
Let's continue to spread CHD awareness. Not for us, but for them.

💙❤️

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18LW5bkJA8/

13/02/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who joined the African Region Childhood Heart Disease Summit. Px stories shared by parent-patient groups, statistics shared by clinicians. Together, we can make the change that CHD needs.

Powerful quote by one of the speakers, "A child does not have to die twice to live once"

and so Are We.
Namibia Childrens Heart Trust, Brave Little Hearts Namibia, Brave Little Hearts Zimbabwe

Have you registered?One day to go for the African Region Childhood Heart Disease SummitRegister and share. Open to all f...
12/02/2026

Have you registered?
One day to go for the African Region Childhood Heart Disease Summit

Register and share. Open to all families and medical professionals.


CHD AWARENESS WEEK 2026

10/02/2026
Brave Little Hearts South Africa is so proud to be a part of this amazing organisation. One cause, one goal.
10/02/2026

Brave Little Hearts South Africa is so proud to be a part of this amazing organisation. One cause, one goal.

📣 CHD doesn’t stop at borders — and neither should care.

🌍 No matter where someone is born, they deserve the chance to survive and thrive. Our global community is speaking up, pushing for change, and demanding equitable heart care for life.

💪 Add your voice. Join the Global Coalition for Congenital & Pediatric Hearts. Because collective action saves lives. bit.ly/46suFxW

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Cape Town

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27623162656

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