Newborns sporting red hats for a cause

The American Heart Association Joins Forces with the McLaren Bay Region Family BirthPlace for Michigan’s 4^th year of Little Hats, Big Hearts Efforts

Bay City, Mi. The American Heart Association and The Children’s Heart Foundation recently launched the fourth year of Michigan’s Little Hats, Big Hearts program. This program provides newborns with knitted red caps to raise awareness of heart disease, the number one killer of Americans, and congenital heart defects, the most common type of birth defect in the country.

The McLaren Bay Region Family BirthPlace proudly participates in this initiative each year, and all babies born at McLaren Bay Region in February will receive a red hat.

The American Heart Association has asked for volunteers to knit or crochet red baby hats to distribute to participating hospitals. In turn, little knit and crocheted hats have arrived from all over Michigan and from other states as people donate their time and talents to the program.

“Little Hats, Big Hearts brings attention to congenital heart defects – a condition that affects about 40,000 babies born in the U.S. each year,” says Betsy Peterson, Founder of The Children’s Heart Foundation. “We’re proud to be part of this program as it brings together the community to rally around those families affected by CHD. We also would like to thank all the incredible volunteers that share their time and talent to make this program possible.”

Little Hats, Big hearts began in Chicago in 2014. The project has grown to include 660 hospitals in 40 states handing out more than 100,000 hats. In addition to using red hats to raise awareness of heart disease and congenital heart defects, Little Hat, Big Hearts also drives awareness for the American Heart Association’s Support Network, an online forum for families affected by heart disease and stroke.