Welcome to Conquering CHD - Minnesota
At Conquering CHD - Minnesota, we exist to conquer the most common birth defect. We engage, listen, learn, and act. We create visibility and empower all impacted by CHD. We accomplish this through awareness, knowledge, community, and research.
*This State Chapter has received the Honor Roll Award for outstanding performance in support of our mission in 2019 and 2020.
About Us
Through our State Chapters we are able to give knowledge, give a voice and give hope, directly meeting the comprehensive, lifelong needs of patients with congenital heart disease and their families through awareness, knowledge, community, and research programming.
Local activities include:
- Conquering CHD Kits offering critical information and a personal connection for patients with CHD of all ages through individualized care packages
- Online chat networks bringing people with similar experiences together
- In-person peer support offering patients and families encouragement and insight from someone who has walked a similar path
- Social events providing a safe environment to celebrate life and simple joys together
- Physician education improving understanding of congenital heart disease from the patient and family perspective
- Research promotion and participation helping promising developments become reality
- Advocacy activities sharing our stories to improve federal research funding
Get Connected
For more information about the Minnesota chapter, email minnesota@conqueringchd.org.
Find us on Social Media:
Upcoming Events and Activities
Make a Donation
Hearing the news “there’s something wrong with your child's heart” can be devastating. Even with successful intervention, CHD requires ongoing, and sometimes intensive, medical care. Your donation helps in so many ways. It is more than our ability to hold the hand of the parent who fears for the life of their child with a reassuring “I’ve been there.” It’s providing the knowledge and hope they need to make important decisions for their child. It’s helping families navigate childhood and, perhaps more importantly, all the changes that come with transitioning to independent adults. It’s about empowering the adults with congenital heart disease who are facing new, unexpected challenges as they are pioneering the way as survivors.
Please give generously to support our state chapter activities!
Conquering CHD - Minnesota is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization. Our tax-exempt or EIN number is: 82-2322056. For additional documentation of our tax-exempt status, please contact minnesota@conqueringchd.org.
You can read more about our organization in our GuideStar profile.
View our gofundme Charity page 
Opportunities to Get Involved
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Heartbeat of the Week Series
We love featuring your amazing and inspiring stories! Be featured as part of our Heartbeat of the Week series! It's easy! Just take a few minutes to submit your story and pictures in this questionnaire!
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AmazonSmile Wishlist
One important program we have in Minnesota is our Conquering CHD Care Kits. Children with congenital heart defects are often immediately sent to another city to have surgery. Their parents may have nothing more than the contents of their wallet or purse. The Care Kits supply educational resources as well as toiletries and comfort items to families with children in the hospital, to show our support and to make the experience a little more tolerable. You can support the care kit program by purchasing items on our Amazon Wish List.
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Volunteer
Conquering CHD - Minnesota is growing! As we are 100% run by heart patients and parents, we are always in need of new volunteers. Help us continue to conquer CHD in Minnesota by filling out this brief SURVEY.
Local Resources
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Minnesota COVID-19 Resources
COVID-19 impacts our society in almost every way imaginable. Numerous Minnesotans are unemployed or need assistance with food, housing, mental health, and more. Here are resources and the latest information Minnesotans may find helpful in this time of great need.
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Children's Minnesota Cardiovascular Program
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Mayo Clinic Children's Center Cardiology
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University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital Heart Center
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Ronald McDonald House Charities, Upper Midwest
RMH provides a comfortable and caring home-away-from-home that supports keeping families together and reduces stress during a child’s serious illness.
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Spare Key
Spare Key’s mission is to provide assistance to families with a critically ill or seriously injured family member. They help families “Bounce and Not Break” through their Help Me Bounce platform, harnessing the power of crowdfunding to connect thousands of families directly to donors.
Contact Us
Chapter President – Nolan Chenevert
Chapter Vice President – Melissa Engel
Chapter Secretary – Courtney Gallo
Chapter Treasurer – Josh Gladis
Chapter Hospital Coordinator - Jessie Penfold
Chapter Bereavement Coordinator – Farynn Kimmes