"A Cause for Today ... A Cure for Tomorrow"
The Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation (CCF) was founded in 2002 by Eddie Yu and Lisa Yue, parents who lost two young children to cardiomyopathy. Recognizing the need for better support and more research, Eddie and Lisa established CCF with the purpose of stimulating and funding promising research on the disease, educating and assisting physicians and patients, and increasing awareness and advocacy related to the needs of affected children and their families. Since then, CCF has grown into a global community of families, physicians and scientists focused on improving diagnosis, treatment and quality of life for children with cardiomyopathy.
CCF is the only 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in the country whose primary focus is pediatric cardiomyopathy, the Foundation takes a leadership position in broadening the understanding of the disease. The Foundation plans to be a funding partner and the primary advocate for studies into the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of pediatric cardiomyopathy. The Foundation hopes to also fill the void in physician and patient education and support.
The Foundation's policies and activities are overseen by a Board of Trustees comprised of business professionals as well as philanthropists and volunteers. A Medical Advisory Board consisting of acknowledged leaders in the field of pediatric cardiology provide high-level medical and scientific guidance on the Foundation's research goals and priorities.
The vision of the Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation (CCF) is to create a future of hope in which pediatric cardiomyopathy can be detected earlier and any affected child can be cured to live a full and active life. Our mission is to accelerate the search for a cure by stimulating and supporting promising research on pediatric cardiomyopathy, by educating and assisting physicians and patients on the complexities of the disease, and by increasing awareness and advocacy on behalf of affected children and their families.
Our mission is accomplished through:
- Research: Encourage and guide laboratory and clinical research aimed at improving survival rates and finding a cause and a cure for pediatric cardiomyopathy.
- Education: Serve as an international source for disseminating information on the early detection, comprehensive diagnosis, and effective treatment of pediatric cardiomyopathy.
- Advocacy & Awareness: Generate widespread awareness of the disease among government, medical, and lay communities to promote increased focus and funding on research.
- Support: Provide informational and emotional support to foster a cohesive and caring community of pediatric cardiomyopathy families.
To date, there is no cure that can repair the damaged heart or stop the progression of the disease. 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.