JMBHF's Support of Cardiac Research

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Pediatric cardiomyopathy is a chronic disease with no known cure or treatment to prevent or eliminate the existing disease.  Unlike other congenital heart conditions, the heart cannot be "repaired" by surgery or drug therapy. In spite of its severity, there have been few medical advances in understanding the disease since it was first formally recognized in the late fifties.  Up to 87% of current pediatric cardiomyopathy cases are still of unknown origin. For some diagnosed children, the cause may remain unknown even after exhaustive testing.

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The slow rate of progress in understanding pediatric cardiomyopathy is primarily due to the lack of public awareness and research support.  Because it is a rare heart condition, it often does not receive enough focus and funding from Federal agencies, pharmaceutical companies and medical institutions.  As a result, only a handful of physicians and research scientists have the incentive to study pediatric cardiomyopathy in depth.

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Research on pediatric heart disease continues to be extremely underfunded.  An investment into research is an investment into a diagnosed child's future.  With increased funding, researchers can develop better therapies and improve the quality of life for children with cardiomyopathy.

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