Sam's mo-ment for charity

ONCE a kid in their shoes, Samuel Stolberg knows the heavy burden on a child who lives with a congenital heart disease.

THEIR HERO: "Super Sam" at a fundraiser for HeartKids showing off his impressive moustache. Picture: Sam Stolberg

ONCE a kid in their shoes, Samuel Stolberg knows the heavy burden on a child who lives with a congenital heart disease.

That is why he decided to fundraise for the charity that provided invaluable support to him when he needed it most.

HeartKids is a nation-wide organisation dedicated to supporting all those affected by congenital heart disease and raising awareness for the incurable condition.

Sam was born with a bicuspid heart valve which was detected when he was three years old; a condition that has followed him well into adulthood, requiring open heart surgery in 2017.

He is now a dedicated advocate for HeartKids and aims to raise $10,000 for the charity by shaving off the moustache he's been growing for over a year.

Sam said his journey has shone a light on what is truly most important to him.

"Having open heart surgery is a very surreal thing, it's not something that I wish on anybody because it's extremely difficult.

"But at the same time, I wish people could experience it because it puts life in perspective for you," he said.

Sam said he was able to resonate with kids and believed he was a great role model for those unsure of their future.

"It's rewarding I think for the parents also to see someone like myself who is a former HeartKid who has gone through heart surgery who now has a successful life," he said.

HeartKids Queensland state manager Holly Williams said Sam's "dedication and commitment is just incredible".

"He goes above and beyond every time for us and him fundraising on such a large scale means we can continue to support families that are faced with congenital heart disease every day," she said.

Mrs Williams believes Sam is a beacon of hope for all children and their parents, showing they can still lead a fulfilling life.

"Sam is always there to support our teens as well that are about to transition from the paediatric world, which is a very different environment for them.

"It's really good for them to be able to see that there's a future," she said.

Sam is holding his fundraising event on March 2 at The Lord Alfred in Brisbane.

There will be stalls, live entertainment, beard and mullet competitions as well as Sam making the big shave.

For more information head to his Facebook event.