The Hudson Initiative is an NPO that raises awareness around CHD in infants. The goal is to make Pulse-ox tests compulsory before babies are taken home.
Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) is when the heart doesn’t develop properly while in the womb. The Hudson Initiative is working to educate expecting mothers to see the signs of CHD.
CHD is one of the most common types of birth defects. Symptoms include abnormal heart rhythms, blue-tinted skin, shortness of breath, failure to feed or develop normally, and swollen body tissue or organs.
“1 in 100 babies is diagnosed with heart defects in South Africa. Some babies go undiagnosed until it’s too late because mothers don’t know about CHDs or what they can do to prepare for them.”
Andrea started Hudsons initiative after losing her son to CHD. She is raising awareness and funds through her NPO for CHD research and lifesaving pulse ox machines. The hope is to change the healthcare system in South Africa to ensure all babies are tested before going home.
Not only does the organisation raise awareness, their charitable side is equally as wonderful. They work with ‘Surgeons for little lives’, another NPO that works with children. They help do vital medical procedures on children in need.
The Hudsons Initiative recently donated a Mobile Pulse OX Machine which will help test newborn babies for CHD before being sent home.
This machine will save lives and make sure mothers know how to care for their babies should they have a heart defect. You can find out more about CHD and the Hudsons initiative here.
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