With Tak Tik, the Impact's mascot, looking on, and Caramel, the Montreal Children's Hospital's mascot by his side, children who have gone through open heart surgery at the MCH were also welcomed as heroes, inspiring the Roslyn students with their courage and determination.

During this Valentine's Day Week, children with healthy hearts were asked to bring a small donation—a loonie or a toonie—to help a child with a 'broken heart,' while wearing a garment to show their friendship towards children with more fragile hearts.

The Heart of Life Foundation has also been encouraging an educational approach by tying their efforts together with the schools in order to draw more attention to Heart Week and teach kids about developing healthy lifestyles through physical education and homeroom instruction.

Anne Dupras, a Westmount resident who sits on the Heart for Life board of directors, said she is grateful for the work the foundation does. Her four-year-old daughter, Emma, was operated on last May for a serious heart problem.

"Everything went great and we had wonderful support from the hospital," said Durpras, adding that she and her husband are now actively involved in organizing fundraising events for the organization.

"For us, it's really a way to show our appreciation for the hospital by raising funds." At the same time, she said they are trying to develop awareness of the cause by informing children of what happens to less fortunate kids who've had heart problems.

According to the foundation, one in 100 children is born with a heart defect. The rate is 10 times higher than for any other childhood illness. The Heart of Life fund was created in 1997 by parents of children born with heart defects who had undergone at birth or at a very young age complex open heart surgery at the MCH.

In the coming years, the foundation hopes to increase the number of schools that participate in their program, as well as the number of corporations involved. In so doing, they hope to increase awareness among young students and the adult population.