Newborns at Advocate Good Samaritan wear little red hats to raise heart disease awareness

Newborn babies leaving Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital's Mother Baby Unit during February will be sporting a special accessory: red hats made by volunteers from across the Chicago area.

Hospitals across the country are giving out the knit and crocheted caps through the American Heart Association's "Little Hats, Big Hearts" program to help raise awareness about heart disease and congenital heart defects.

The effort was started in 2014 in Chicago and now helps spread awareness for heart disease and congenital heart defects in more than 40 states. It runs in conjunction with American Heart Month.

Congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defect in the country.

Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove received more than 200 of the hats given to the Advocate Health Care System. In total, more than 6,000 will be distributed throughout the Chicago area.

To learn more about the program or the cardiovascular care options at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital and across Advocate, visit heart.org and advocatehealth.com/gsam/health-services/advocate-heart-institute.