.jpg)
From The Heart: The HeartKids Podcast
Join us as we explore stories of Australians impacted by childhood-onset heart disease (CoHD) - including congenital heart disease.
We'll tackle the big issues - what it's like receiving a new diagnosis, preparing for open-heart surgery, looking after your mental health, and much more. The show features cardiologists and experts sharing their knowledge about the topics you want to know more about. This show is for anyone impacted by CoHD - parents, carers, family members, friends, and those of us living with CoHD.
Your hosts are Rachael Knowles, a young adult with CoHD, and Sami Glastonbury, a mother of two children with CoHD.
From The Heart is brought to you by HeartKids, the only national not-for-profit solely focused on supporting and advocating for all people impacted by CoHD.
Episodes
101 episodes
Resilience and Perspective: Holly’s Story
In this episode, host Rachel Knowles speaks with Holly Cuthbert, a 25-year-old living with childhood-onset heart disease from Busselton in Western Australia.Holly shares her experience growing up with a complex heart condition and underg...
100 Episodes of From the Heart: Stories, Lessons and What’s Next
This special 100th episode brings Sammy and Rachel together to revisit the moments, people and insights that have defined From the Heart. They explore the power of shared stories, the evolving experiences of heart parents and heart adults, and ...
Navigating Life and Health: Brodie’s Journey Through Two Heart Transplants
In this episode of the HeartKids Podcast, host Rachel Knowles speaks with 20-year-old Brodie and his mum, Annie, from Tasmania. Brodie has lived with childhood-onset heart disease and has undergone not one, but two heart transplants — the first...
Tanya Hall from Hearts4heart: The Power of the Patient Voice
Tanya Hall, CEO and founder of Hearts4heart and member of the World Heart Federation Board, joins us to share how lived experience can reshape care, policy and community. Diagnosed in infancy and navig...
Shaping Better Care Through Education with Mark Edmonds
In this episode, host Sami Glastonbury speaks with Mark Edmonds, Education Project Coordinator at HeartKids, about the power of co-design and education in transforming care for people living with childhood-onset heart disease. <...
Supporting Heart Families in WA and Beyond with Natasha D'Souza
In this episode, host Sami is joined by Natasha D'Souza, one of our dedicated Family Support Coordinators in Western Australia. Drawing on her own experience as a heart parent, Tash shares how she and the WA team walk ...
CHD, RHD and Cultural Identity with Heart Mum Maria Tass
In this episode of From The Heart, Angela Webb, our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Engagement Manager, speaks with Maria Tass and her twin sons, Benson and Albert, from Mackay, Queensland. Born with congenital heart co...
Fontan Surgery, ANZFAC and Lived Experience with Jonathan Mackley
In this episode of From the Heart, Jonathan Mackley shares his journey from being born with a complex heart condition and undergoing one of the earliest Fontan surgeries, to becoming a strong voice in the HeartKids community. ...
Hugo and Louise Taheny: Sport, Advocacy and Life with CHD and Down Syndrome
In this episode of From the Heart, host Sami Glastonbury speaks with world champion athlete and health ambassador Hugo Taheny and his mum, Louise. Hugo is a Heart Kid living with Down syndrome, along with vision and hearing impairments...
Inside Paediatric Heart Surgery with Dr Stephanie Perrier
In this episode of From the Heart, host Sami Glastonbury sits down with Dr Stephanie Perrier, Paediatric and Congenital Cardiac Surgeon at the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne. From her early training in France to performing life-ch...
Feeding and Speech Development with Speech Therapist Emily Hayes
In this episode of From The Heart Sami chats with Emily Hayes, a speech pathologist and feeding specialist who works closely with babies and young children, including those who’ve had surgery or spent time in intensive care. ...
23 Surgeries Before 23 with Annabel Turner
In this episode of 'From The Heart', our host Rachael chats to Annabel Turner - a young heart adult who has tricuspid artresia. Listen as Rachael and Annabel chat about having a heart condition has not stopped Annabel from living a full, rich a...
Sexual Health and Wellbeing with Sexologist Stacey Micallef
In this episode of 'From The Heart', our host Rachael chats to Stacey Micallef - a sexologist and relationship & trauma counsellor based in Geelong, Victoria. Listen as Rachael and Stacey chat about how CoHD can impact sexual health and rel...
Medical Trauma with clinical psychologist Carlye Crank
In this episode of 'From The Heart', our host Rachael chats to clinical psychologist Carlye Crank about mental health, medical trauma and the unique ways in which physical health can impact your mental health.HEARTKIDSFrom ...
RHD and Better Community Care with Tanika Parker and Genavie Tabuai
In this special episode for Reconciliation Week, Angela Webb, HeartKids’ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Engagement Manager, has a yarn with Tanika Parker, RHD Nurse Navigator, and Genavie Tabuai, Health Worker Coo...
Mitch McGovern: An Ambassador in Honour of his Friend's Memory
In this episode of "From the Heart," join our host, Sami, for a conversation with Mitch McGovern.Mitch is a football player with Carlton, and a HeartKids Ambassador. Sami and Mitch chat about Mitch's connection with CoHD, and how his tra...
Acknowledging and Supporting the Sibling Journey - Dr Shannon Schedlich of Siblings Australia
In this episode of "From the Heart," join our host, Sami, for a conversation with Dr Shannon Schedlich.Shannon joins the podcast this episode, to chat with Sami about strengthening family units, and promoting nuanced suppor...
Curtis McGrath: Paralympian, Soldier, Order of Australia Recipient, and Heart Dad
In this episode of "From the Heart," join our host, Sami, for a conversation with Curtis McGrath.Curtis is an Australian Paralympic gold medalist in paracanoe who lost both his legs while serving as a combat engineer in Afghanist...
Managing my Complex CHD... Mahan Ahmadiram's Story
In this episode of "From the Heart," join our host, Sami, for a conversation with Mahan Ahmadiram, an adult navigating her life with CHD, with CH-FIT, community, and exceptional strength.Sami and Mahan discuss the significant journey Ma...
A Grandparent's Care... Cindy Hutchison's Story
In this episode of "From the Heart," join our host, Sami, for a conversation with Cindy Hutchison.Cindy and Sami chat about Cindy's extraordinary experiences with supporting her daughter Maddi, and grandson York, through their exception...
Supporting the Sibling... Chloe Peck's Heart Sibling Journey.
Welcome to From the Heart: The HeartKids Podcast, Season 4.In this episode of "From the Heart," join our host, Sami, for a conversation with Chloe Peck, a young adult who is a sibling to a heart teen.Join Sami and Chloe as they ...
From the Heart: 2024 Wrapped. Erin Ferguson and Happy Heart Clinic
Welcome to From the Heart: 2024 Wrapped!As we have closed off 2024 and into 2025, we're bringing you some fan favourite episodes of From the Heart, season 3.Here is Encore #5 - Erin FergusonIn this episode of From the Hea...
From the Heart: 2024 Wrapped. Danielle Green's Story
Welcome to From the Heart: 2024 Wrapped!As we have closed off 2024 and looking into 2025, we're bringing you some fan favourite episodes of From the Heart, season 3.Here is Encore #4 - Danielle GreenDanielle is a mother t...
From the Heart: 2024 Wrapped. Amber Adamson: Ask a Nurse Anything!
Welcome to From the Heart: 2024 Wrapped!As we close off the end of this year, we're bringing you some fan favourite episodes of From the Heart, season 3.Here is Encore #3 - Amber Adamson: Ask a NurseIn this episode Rachae...
From the Heart: 2024 Wrapped. Kate Strickland's Story
Welcome to From the Heart: 2024 Wrapped!As we close off the end of this year, we're bringing you some fan favourite episodes of From the Heart, season 3.Here is Encore #2 - Kate Strickland, Child Life Therapist.Kate is a ...
