Children, dogs pair for Heart Walk.

Byline: Donna Boynton

GRAFTON - Aidan Firth and Boo are both 3 years old. To look at them, they seem to have nothing more in common than their age.

Aidan is a precocious toddler from Ashburnham, while Boo is a Shih Tzu from Albania, but both have congenital heart defects.

And as heart disease survivors, both will be walking in the Central Massachusetts Heart Walk May 2. The walk starts in Elm Park.

Aidan was one of about 20 children, all part of the Friends with Heart team, who met four dogs with heart defects similar to theirs at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University last week. The dogs also will be participating in the Heart Walk with a team from the Cummings School.

Tufts has partnered with Friends with Heart, a team that last year raised close to $400,000 for heart disease research. While the children on the Friends with Heart Team will wear red caps to signify they are heart disease survivors, the dogs will be wearing symbolic red bandannas to signify that they, too, have heart disease.

"Dogs and cats can get heart disease, the same as people," said Dr. Lisa Freeman, a veterinarian and professor of nutrition at the Cummings School, adding that 10 percent of dogs develop heart disease as they age. "It's a natural fit for us to support this worthy cause and raise awareness that heart disease can affect dogs just as much as humans. This is a show of solidarity with these brave kids who walk against heart disease ... plus, it's a lot of fun."

Tufts first partnered with Friends with Heart last year, at the urging of Dr. Freeman, who owns 10-year-old Hazel, a Jack Russell terrier with mitral valve prolapse, and 2-year-old Tally, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel with patent ductus arteriosis.

Friends with Heart was founded by Dawn King as a local support group for children with congenital heart disease in Central Massachusetts. Her son Ben, 11, has hydroplastic left heart syndrome, which means the left ventricle did not develop. He has had surgeries to reroute his circulatory system around the undeveloped left ventricle.

To look at the children and the dogs, it's hard to tell they have congenital heart defects: They run, they play, they laugh, just as anyone else. But it was how they ran and played that may have brought the symptoms to the surface.

Boo came with her original owner from Albania. Shortly after moving here, the owner noticed that Boo had a bad cough and did not have the energy level a puppy should have. She was examined and diagnosed with PDA. Boo needed surgery, which her owner could not afford, Boo was put up for adoption, was adopted by Deb Gibbs and today works as a therapy dog.

"She's very lucky that she was able to have the surgical procedure and now has a normal life expectancy," she said.

"I have a heart condition just like the dogs," explained 3-year-old Aidan, who was diagnosed with heterotaxia syndrome. He was accompanied by his mother, Tatjana Firth, and sister, Ciara Firth, 5.

Ms. Firth said it is good for her son to know that, despite the medical procedures he has had for his heart, that others - other children and even dogs - can have the same types of health problems.

Ozzy, a goldendoodle, has a list of congenital heart defects, all diagnosed after it was noticed that he tired easily as a puppy, a symptom that humans, too, can experience. Ozzie is fortunate that after surgeries he is able to manage his conditions without medication.

"Tufts believes in translational research," said Tom Keppeler, assistant director of public relations at Cummings School. "This is a perfect fit for us and we are proud to support it."

"Kids and dogs have just a natural link to each other," said Laura M. Woodward, corporate events director for the American Heart Association. "It's great to give them this unique experience, to bring them together with other kids, and to show them that they are not alone. That just as they are special, the dogs are special."

ART: PHOTOS

CUTLINE: (1) From left, Aidan R. Firth, 3, and Ciara C. Firth, 5, both of Ashburnham, react to seeing Hazel during a meeting of kids and dogs - all with heart disease. (2) Cordis and Ozzy wait for about 20 children with heart defects similar to theirs during a meet-and-greet at Cummings Veterinary School.

PHOTOG: T&G StaffPhotos/TOM RETTIG