Two-year pilot program will bring together CHD families in Southern California for education, community, and support, with the goal of creating a replicable model for CHD camps across the country
The Mussallem CHD Alliance and Camp del Corazon today announced the Mussallem Family Camp, a two-year pilot program designed to support, educate, and bring together the entire families of children living with congenital heart defects (CHD).
Camp del Corazon is a nonprofit organization founded in 1995 that provides free, year-round experiential programming for children, young adults, and families living with heart disease. Its flagship residential summer camp serves children ages 7 to 17 and is staffed by volunteer physicians, nurses, and trained counselors. The Mussallem Family Camp will build on Camp del Corazon’s deep experience serving the CHD community through the sponsorship of this new program designed with the entire CHD family in mind.
Families navigating CHD face challenges that extend well beyond the operating room. Parents and caregivers often carry significant emotional and financial burdens, siblings can feel overlooked, and patients may struggle with isolation and anxiety. While existing CHD camps have long provided transformative experiences for children, few programs are designed to address the needs of the entire family unit—parents, caregivers, siblings, and patients together.
The Mussallem Family Camp will be a three-day weekend retreat offering tailored programming for every member of the family, including educational workshops and play activities segmented for parents, siblings, and CHD patients, along with community-building group activities such as outdoor recreation, cooking classes, and a resource fair. Following the two-year pilot, Camp del Corazon will codify the program into a shareable playbook and toolkit to be made available to more than 30 CHD camps across the country.
“When a child is born with a congenital heart defect, their entire family will undoubtedly be shaped by that reality,” said Orin Herskowitz, President of the Mussallem CHD Alliance. “The Mussallem Family Camp is about creating a weekend where CHD families can come together to connect over their shared experiences and community build together. And by building a playbook that other camps can use, we are investing in a model that can reach CHD families far beyond Southern California.”
“For over 30 years, Camp del Corazon has provided children with heart defects a place where they can just be kids,” said Chrissie Endler, Executive Director of Camp del Corazon. “The Mussallem Family Camp allows us to extend that same sense of belonging to the whole family. Our families have long asked for the opportunity to share in the magic of camp, not just for their heart child, but for siblings as well.”
Ms. Endler continued, “We aim to extend the benefits of the camp environment to the entire family, so the hope, support, and optimism a child feels at summer camp can carry into the home and throughout their lives. We’re also excited to document and share what we learn from launching this program, so that other organizations serving children with heart disease can build similar experiences in their own communities.”
About the Mussallem CHD Alliance
The Mussallem CHD Alliance is the flagship initiative of the Linda and Mike Mussallem Foundation dedicated to helping people born with congenital heart defects (CHD) survive and thrive, from their first heartbeat onward.
About Camp del Corazon
Camp del Corazon is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides year-round experiential opportunities for children and families living with heart disease, including a free residential summer camp for children ages 7 to 17. Founded in 1995, Camp del Corazon is staffed entirely by volunteers and serves the CHD community through camp programs, young adult leadership development, and family support initiatives. Learn more at campdelcorazon.org.