Podcasts by and for people born with wonky hearts

Plus, why I started this newsletter

Photo by israel palacio on Unsplash

Hello! I’m Leigh Kamping-Carder, and this is The Heart Dialogues, the newsletter for people born with heart conditions (and the people who love them). Every other week, I bring you a candid conversation with someone who has congenital heart disease, plus occasional essays, links, recommendations and other good stuff about living with a wonky heart. Add your email to join this community and ensure you don’t miss the next edition.

I don’t particularly like the spotlight. I struggle to open up about myself. (This, for example, took months.) I’m used to being the one asking the questions, both for this newsletter and in my work as a journalist. Well, I’m doing something a little different for this edition.

In April, I was interviewed by Anna Jaworski, an advocate for the congenital heart disease community, for her podcast, “Heart2Heart with Anna.” The episode is out now.

Take a listen to hear about how and why I launched this newsletter, my experiences with cardiac care in the U.S. versus Canada, and my tips for writing your own story. We even get into some behind-the-scenes stuff about how I put together these interviews and that time I backpacked solo through India for 4½ months. (Would recommend.)

More listening ideas

A whole bunch of podcasts aimed at the CHD community have cropped up in the past few years. Here are a few of the shows helmed by people with heart conditions. See Anna’s website for podcasts from heart parents.

• The Heart Chamber: Host Boots Knighton, who learned of three congenital heart defects at the age of 42, “highlights patient stories of heart surgery and recovery including interviews with healthcare providers to provide extra support for the listener.” Listen

• Heart2Hearts: Each episode includes a discussion about someone’s “journey with a CHD and how they go through life,” per host Stewart Laing. Listen

• From the Heart: This podcast covers stories of Australians impacted by congenital or childhood heart conditions, promising to “tackle the big issues.” It’s hosted by Rachel Knowles, who has CHD, and Sami Glastonbury, a mother of a child with CHD, and brought to you by a nonprofit called HeartKids. Listen

• Fontan With a Future: Host Taylor Houlihan, an aspiring pediatric cardiologist living with a single-ventricle heart, shares about her life and interviews others with CHD. Listen

I’m sure this is not a complete list! What are your listening ideas for CHD folks? Tap the comment button to have your say.