Mended Hearts (original) (raw)

Mended Hearts is a United States-based charity which functions as a support group for individuals suffering from heart disease. It was founded in 1951 by cardiac surgery pioneer Dwight Harken. Dr. Dwight Harken was the first surgeon in history to repeatedly perform successful heart surgery. Dwight Harken asked four post-surgery heart patients to get together to give encouragement and support to each other and prospective patients. It was there that these patients spoke of their "mended hearts". Mended Hearts offers a program for the families of children born with congenital heart defects known as Mended Little Hearts.