Center for Heart Care | Phoenix Children's

The Heart of Our Mission: Saving Children's Lives

Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common birth defect in the U.S., where approximately 40,000 babies are born with heart defects each year. It's estimated that there are 2 to 3 million people in the U.S. living with CHDs.

At Phoenix Children's, we're dedicated to ensuring that children with congenital heart defects and other heart conditions can grow up to live long, healthy lives. Led by co-directors Wayne Franklin, MD, FACC, and Daniel Velez, MD, the Center for Heart Care is the fifth-largest pediatric cardiac program in the country and is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation's top pediatric centers for cardiology and heart surgery.

With expertise in more than a dozen pediatric cardiology subspecialties, the Center for Heart Care provides advanced care for infants, children and teens with simple and complex heart conditions. It also offers one of the country's only programs for adults with congenital heart disease.

By the Numbers

Thanks to generous support from people like you, the Center for Heart Care is reaching new milestones.

20k+

cardiac patients in 2022

2k+

adult CHD clinic visits in 2022

550+

cardiac operations every year

160+

heart transplants performed to date

Meet Our Leaders

The co-directors of the Center for Heart Care, Wayne Franklin, MD, FACC, and Daniel Velez, MD, talk about how philanthropy makes their lifesaving work possible.

Wayne Franklin, MD, FACC

Co-Director, Center for Heart Care
Robinson Family Endowed Chair in Cardiology
Medical Director of Quality, Center for Heart Care

Daniel Velez, MD

Co-Director, Center for Heart Care
Division Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery

“Philanthropy is vital to our efforts at the Center for Heart Care. Our vision to transform health care in Arizona and shape the future can only happen with community support.”
Wayne Franklin, MDCo-Director, Center for Heart Care; Robinson Family Endowed Chair in Cardiology; Medical Director of Quality, Center for Heart Care