27 October 2020, Auckland: 2020 marks the 20th anniversary of Heart Kids’ annual fundraising event, the 360 Heart Stopper Challenge. What started
with a plunge into a cold fountain in Palmerston North way back in 2000 is now a nationwide annual event. This November,
Heart Kids is asking New Zealanders to take part in the 360 Heart Stopper Challenge and Get Chilly for Heart Kids.
Heart Kids is the only not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting New Zealand children born with heart
conditions (and their families) and they need your help to continue to do so. 360 seconds is all it takes to make a real
difference – oh, and a little bit of ice and cold water!
2020 has been tough for most people, but especially for vulnerable children and their families. Every week in New Zealand 12 babies are born with a heart defect, that is 1 in every 100 births. There is no prevention nor cure for a congenital heart defect, just a lifetime of
medication and possible surgeries.
“The challenges of the recent pandemic and alert level restrictions mean our heart families need your support more than
ever,” says Mark Longbottom, Heart Kids New Zealand CEO.
“Because we can’t ask our vulnerable families to get together at a Heart Stopper event this year, we’d love kind Kiwis
to take part at home or work and join this year’s virtual Heart Stopper Challenge event instead.”
The Virtual 360 Heart Stopper Challenge week takes place from Monday 9 – Sunday 15 November. There are two ways you can
take part in the Virtual Heart Stopper challenge this year:
- Get chilly at home – fill the bath or a paddling pool with icy water and jump in! or have a 60 second cold shower
every day for 6 days = 360 seconds.
- Get chilly at work and perhaps take part in the ‘put your boss on ice’ CEO challenge!
The 360 Heart Stopper Challenge requires no athletic prowess – just brave and passionate people with warm hearts willing
to get chilly and fundraise for little brave hearts around the country.
You can join the Heart Stopper Challenge here: https://heartstopper.org.nz/