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Global ARCH / Uncategorized  / Dr. Matt Oster’s Journey to Saving Lives and Powering Change

Dr. Matt Oster’s Journey to Saving Lives and Powering Change

Heart Voices: Stories that Unite Us- Meet Dr. Matt Master

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We know that real change starts with the people who dedicate their lives to it from patients, families, our clinical teams, and more. Dr. Matt Oster, a pediatric cardiologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University, is one of those people.

His journey to cardiology wasn’t just a career path—it was sealed by an unexpected connection that shaped his mission to improve care for congenital heart disease (CHD) patients worldwide.

“In the United States, more adults now live with heart disease than children. That’s a testament to years of progress, enabling children born with heart defects to reach adulthood.” – Dr. Oster

But progress isn’t enough if care doesn’t continue into adulthood. Dr. Oster has dedicated his career to:

  • Advancing screening & early detection to improve survival rates
    Building a stronger global CHD care network so no patient is left behind
    Ensuring lifelong support for CHD patients, because heart disease doesn’t stop at childhood

“Different areas have different needs and resources, and so I think working to collaborate in a learning environment to improve outcomes worldwide is a wonderful initiative. I’m very happy to be a part of it.” – Dr. Oster

Dr. Oster’s story is one of passion, dedication, and the power of collaboration. But he’s not in this fight alone.

Global ARCH

Amy Verstappen, President

Amy Verstappen has been a patient advocate and health educator since 1996, when her own challenges living with a complex heart defect led her to the Adult Congenital Heart Association, where she served as president from 2001 to 2013. She has served as an advisor to the Centers for Disease Control the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; and the International Society for Adult Congenital Cardiac Disease, and worked with congenital heart patient and professional groups throughout the USA and the world.  Ms. Verstappen received a Masters in Education in 1990 and a Masters in Global Health in 2019.