Hand-knit newborn hats for heart disease awareness at Advocate Good Samaritan

DOWNERS GROVE - All babies born during February at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital will receive a special gift - a red knitted hat to raise awareness of heart disease.

The "Little Hats, Big Hearts" campaign is held in conjunction with the American Heart Association to educate the public about heart disease and congenital heart defects, which is the most common type of birth defect in the country.

The red hats, which were knitted by volunteers, come in all sizes, even small enough to fit the tiny heads of babies at Good Samaritan Hospital's Level III neonatal intensive care unit.

"We are proud to partner with the American Heart Association to raise awareness of heart disease. The Little Hats, Big Hearts initiative is a unique way to educate families about congenital heart defects, which affects more than 40,000 newborns each year," said Dr. Eleanor Ross, pediatric cardiologist.

Follow the baby photos on Twitter and Facebook at #MoreHeart and #LittleHatsBigHearts.