Sweetheart Day for HeartKids
CHRG’s Sweetheart Day fundraiser this Valentine’s Day surpassed expectations, raising over $2,500 for HeartKids, highlighting the club’s commitment to heart health awareness and supporting those affected by congenital heart disease.
In January 2020, Greg Page of The Wiggles suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during a reunion concert at the club’s Lyceum Theatre. Quick action by staff who used a defibrillator at the club saved his life, sparking a passion for heart health advocacy within the club.
Similarly, in August 2020, Matt Bailey, General Manager of Lynwood Golf & Country Club, and his family experienced their own heart journey with their newborn daughter.
Harriet was just six days old when she was diagnosed with a hole in her heart and Atrial septal defect (ASD) and Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). At 8 days old Harriet underwent open heart surgery at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
HeartKids provided crucial support during this challenging time, leaving a lasting impact on the Bailey family.
HeartKids is the only national not-for-profit organisation solely focused on supporting and advocating for all people impacted by Congenital or Childhood-Acquired Heart Disease (CHD) – one of the largest causes of infant death in Australia. 
HeartKids offers support to ‘heart families’ on multiple levels – providing carebags with essential items for a hospital stay, financial assistance, parent education and community support pathways.
Inspired by these experiences, CHRG partnered with Castle Hill Police and Greg Page to equip first responder vehicles with defibrillators, aiming to improve survival rates for sudden cardiac arrest incidents.
The momentum continued with the club’s participation in the HeartKids “Two Feet and a Heartbeat” walk in October 2022 and Lynwood Golf and Country Club’s inaugural HeartKids Charity Golf Day in November.
At the time the State Manager of HeartKids, Janyne Hogan, said “Every day in Australia, eight babies are born with a form of congenital heart disease – that’s one family every three hours whose life changes in a heartbeat. As we strive to increase community awareness of HeartKids, and its services available to families impacted by congenital heart disease in the local community, we are delighted to be partnering with CHRG.”
Congenital heart disease incorporates a group of abnormalities of the heart and is a general name for any type of malformation of the heart, heart valves or major blood vessels which are present at birth. Childhood on-set heart disease includes children born with congenital heart disease and those who acquire it during childhood.
In 2023, CHRG and its hospitality venues supported Sweetheart Day, a Valentine’s Daythemed fundraiser for HeartKids. Members and staff also embraced the initiative this Valentine’s Day.
The club has also partnered with Heartbeat of Football to offer heart health testing sessions across all venues, furthering their commitment to a heart-healthy community.
With each heartbeat, CHRG and its partners continue to cultivate a healthier, more compassionate community, one act of kindness at a time.
