About Us
Our Mission
The mission of the Global Alliance for Rheumatic and Congenital Hearts (Global ARCH) is to improve worldwide life-long outcomes in childhood-onset heart disease through empowering patient and family organizations. Membership is free and open to any group that serves congenital and/or rheumatic heart patients and their families. Our alliance brings together organizations from around the world to learn, collaborate, and speak out together about the unmet needs of those living with childhood-onset heart conditions.
What We Do
We connect and strengthen global congenital heart disease and rheumatic heart disease organizations through peer mentorship, leadership development, educational resources, and regional and global conferences.
We speak out for the rights of congenital heart disease and rheumatic heart disease patients through our Rights Campaign and by promoting and supporting patient and family-led advocacy
We educate patients, professionals, and humanitarian organizations on the global needs of congenital heart disease and rheumatic heart disease patients and the issues that matter most to our communities.
We collaborate with professional and humanitarian organizations to advocate for better services for every person affected by childhood-onset heart disease.
Our History
The Global Alliance for Rheumatic and Congenital Hearts (Global ARCH) began with a visionary group of congenital heart disease and rheumatic heart disease leaders, each directly affected by childhood-onset heart disease. They shared a vision of transforming global congenital heart disease and rheumatic heart disease patient outcomes through empowering patient and family-led organizations.
In the summer of 2017, they convened the first International Congenital Heart Leadership Summit (ICHLS), which brought together 30 congenital heart disease and rheumatic heart disease leaders representing 21 countries on six continents. In order to create a stronger voice on behalf of congenital heart disease and rheumatic heart disease patients and families, the participants agreed unanimously to form a new, independent non-profit organization called the Global Alliance for Rheumatic and Congenital Hearts (Global ARCH). The collective vision for Global ARCH is to improve and prolong the life of every heart child and adult – no matter where they were born.
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