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The 3rd Annual Heart Warriors & Angels Beach Walk took place on Sunday 7th February 2021 from 7-9am and raised over KYD $18,000. Over 300 participants registered for the beautiful morning walk at Seven Mile Public Beach to show their support for Team Nolan, the Pediatric Program of the Cayman Heart Fund, whose mission is to raise awareness of Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) and fundraise for families of babies born with a congenital heart defects.

The walk is organized each year by Sean and Ailian Evans, in memory of their son Nolan who passed away in January 2018 aged 7 months 3 days from a complex CHD. This year’s event was sponsored by Davenport Development, Doctors Hospital, Health City, Conyers, Walkers, Fosters, Vistra, Baraud Development, and Logic just to name a few. The event included a ZUMBA warm up presented by the School of Fitness, refreshments, including complementary gourmet coffee sponsored by Paradise Coffee, and free face painting. After the walk participants enjoyed a kids and adult raffle.

February is National Heart Month and is a great time to spread Heart Health Awareness. For Team Nolan in particular 7th February marks the start of Congenital Heart Defects Awareness Week 2021 that runs until 14th February.

CHD’s occurs during the early stages of a mother’s pregnancy when a baby’s heart is forming. Conditions classified as congenital heart defects include abnormalities in the heart’s structure or the heart’s electrical system. Every child born with a complex structural heart malformation has a story. It is a journey through a whole host of difficult challenges. Children born with a CHD endure far more than most adults will in a lifetime. When you consider how much adversity some overcome and still have a smile on their face, it is clear that each of them has earned their superhero designation, hence the name Heart Warrior or Heart Angel.

Every 15 minutes a baby is born with a CHD. Many people think of heart problems as conditions that only affect adults, but CHD affects one in every 100 births making this complex condition, with no known cure, the most common type of birth defect and one of the leading causes of infant death. The impact of having a heart child is life-changing for families and one that leads to enormous emotional and financial stress. Team Nolan, the Pediatric Program of the Cayman Heart Fund, is 100% committed to raising awareness about congenital heart defects (CHD) and assisting the families of heart babies. The Team Nolan Financial Assistance Program provides financial grants to heart families in Cayman, assisting them with expenses associated with urgent paediatric cardiology health care. Grants may be awarded in relation to everyday expenses such as utilities, food, and transportation costs.

“As a heart family it’s so rewarding to see that with our efforts and fundraising initiatives in loving memory of our heart angel, we are helping others in need. I know Nolan is proud of the legacy that we are creating.” said Ailian Evans, CHF Board Member and Founder of Team Nolan. “We are very grateful to all of our wonderful supporters including His Excellency Mr Martyn Roper Governor of the Cayman Islands, Dr. Binoy (Chief Cardiac Surgeon at Health City), Dr. Kukula (Doctor’s Hospital Interventional Cardiologist), all of our volunteers, our wonderful sponsors, and all participants. All of this support culminated in an extremely successful event.”

The Cayman Heart Fund is a non-profit organization incorporated under the Companies Law (2007 Revision) in 2007, with Registration License # 220594. Our aim is to alert, reduce, and help prevent Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) – the #1 cause of death in the Cayman Islands. We achieve this through education, training, and by providing medical equipment and services to the public.