Tara Murray
The Two Feet and A Heartbeat fundraising walk in Geelong will take on more significance this year.
The walk, organised by HeartKids, is back after having to go online last year due to the pandemic, and this year includes a community market.
The walk, which raises money for HeartKids, allows families to pay tribute to their heart kids and have a moment of reflection for Heart Angels.
The event will include a four kilometre walk in the honour of the four lives lost each week to congenital heart disease (CHD) or an eight kilometre event in honour of the eight babies born each week with CHD.
Hannah Pearl has taken on organising the event this year, which has been rescheduled for November 28.
Her daughter Madison was the event’s ambassador in 2019.
“I decided to reinvent the day and make it a big day out. For the first time we’ll have a market,” she said.
Ms Pearl said having the market would allow food van owners, who have had a tough 18 months, to get back out and feed the community while also raising money for a good cause.
Ms Pearl said the group is very close to her family’s heart but wasn’t well known in the area.
She said she had heard so many different stories from families in the area while organising it which had touched her.
Her daughter Madison was born with a heart condition and required heart surgery at seven days old. The four-year-old heads to school next year.
“The people in Geelong are a close knit community,” she said.
“When Madison was born, I wasn’t able to go back to work. The only support we could get was from HeartKids, it was a family as such.
“It’s been amazing when talking to so many new people who didn’t know about heart kids until now.
“I want to raise awareness, so people know that it is here.”
The event, which will be held in Mount Duneed, will also include face painting, an animal farm, live music, market stalls and raffles.
To register: ow.ly/2DRj50GmE9S
