Tita Hutchens Award

The Tita Hutchens Award was created in 2015 to honor those individuals and organizations that have provided outstanding service to Mended Little Hearts to help the program better serve its mission—to empower families affected by congenital heart defects and disease.

Mended Hearts leader, Tita Hutchens, founded Mended Little Hearts in 2004 as a program of the Mended Hearts, Inc. because she had a passion for helping children with congenital heart disease and their families. While Mended Hearts supports all patients with heart disease and their families, the Mended Little Hearts program was started to meet the specific needs of children with congenital heart disease (CHD)—heart disease that is present at birth—and to support their families as they travel on their journey with CHD, both in the hospital and at home.

In the 15 years since 2004, Mended Little Hearts has increased its reach, has developed many new programs and resources, and, most importantly has created personal connections that let people know they are not alone. We could not have done this without help. This award was created in memory of Tita Hutchens to honor and recognize people and/or organizations who have supported Mended Little Hearts, and, as a result, have supported the families and communities it serves.

Previous Winners

2020

Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Outcome Collaborative (CNOC)

2019

Anna Jaworski, Hearts Unite the Globe

2018

Michael Petrucelli, Prolacta BioScience

2017
Edwards Lifesciences

Sara Mannion, Saatchi & Saatchi

2016

St. Jude Medical

2015
Jennifer Page
Dwain Young, Accenture
Valerie Azlynn