Heart Diagrams & Learning Tools

On this page, we’ve gathered heart education resources to help you better understand how the heart works and various types of heart defects. These resources were created right here in Western Canada by some of our very own physicians, clinicians, educators and heart families.

Heart Education Materials

The following booklet and brochures include color coded diagrams. These resources have been developed for patients and families, to be used at the time of initial diagnosis, follow-up, or transition to adult care.

How the Heart Works – Booklet

The heart has many different parts and can be a complicated organ to understand. Developing a basic understanding of how the heart works is key to learning about different heart conditions that can affect patients. This booklet was created to be a helpful resource during the patient or family’s experience of learning about and caring for their heart.

Congenital Heart Disease Diagrams and Models

The following congenital heart disease (CHD) 2D illustrative brochures are available to download or print. They can be used in conjunction with the booklet above or as individual resources. For some, 3D models are also available. Created from real patient CT and MRI scans, you can compare a drawing of the heart to a 3D model of the heart. You can find more of these interactive 3D heart models at 3DHeartProject.com.

Blank/Typical Heart Diagram 2D | 3D

2D Illustrations Credit: Developed in collaboration between the Stollery Congenital Heart Program (represented by Jody Gingrich, RN, and Joseph Atallah, MD) and the University of Alberta department of Art & Design (initiated by assistant lecturer and Heart Mama Jennifer Duby and led by graduated student Julie Kuhn with contribution from Odanna Onuekwusi). The development of these educational resources was made possible by grant support from the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation and The Women & Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI).

All material has been reviewed and approved by the Stollery’s Cardiac Family Advisory Care Team (cFACT) and endorsed by Stollery Children’s Hospital Senior Leadership.

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Heart Education Materials

Congenital Heart Disease Diagrams and Models

The Western Canadian Children’s Heart Network

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