Kapiolani Medical Center for Women &Children celebrated Valentine’s Day on Tuesday with the opening of its new Pediatric Heart Center.

The center is the first and only one of its kind in Hawaii and the Pacific region, according to the hospital, an affiliate of Hawaii Pacific Health. Its availability means many children here with heart disease will no longer have to travel to the mainland for critical heart procedures and care.

“Families will no longer need to be separated during a time when they need each other and the support of their friends and neighbors most,” said Gidget Ruscetta, Kapiolani Medical Center’s chief operating officer, in a news release. “Kapiolani has had a deep connection with the community since it opened more than a century ago. Through the generosity of our community and donors we are now able to expand our care for children across Hawaii.”

According to the hospital, approximately 200 children are born in Hawaii with a heart defect annually. The heart of a newborn is tiny — about the size of a kukui nut — and requires specialized equipment.

The center features a pediatric cardiac catheterization laboratory that can diagnose and treat many heart conditions, including congenital defects such as small holes in the heart.

Kapiolani Medical Center said it’s equipped with large video monitors for fluoroscopy, a type of medical imaging that shows continuous, real-time images, like an X-ray movie. These same screens will be used to play children’s movies to put young patients at ease.

The center takes a comprehensive and collaborative approach to treating Hawaii children with heart conditions.

Mark Ohigashi, whose 6-year-old, Mika, was diagnosed with a heart defect at the age of 2, said the new Pediatric Heart Center means they can stay in Hawaii and work with doctors and nurses at Kapiolani the family knows and trusts.

“In Hawaii we’re so focused on family,” he said. “Being able to stay here, your family can visit and provide support not only for the child who is being treated, but for the parents who need emotional support as well.”

Kayley Coloma, whose 5-year-old daughter, Leila­-Rose, was born with a congenital heart defect, also welcomed the new center.

“Leila-Rose has had two surgeries so far, one on the mainland and one at Kapiolani,” she said. “She’ll need heart care for the rest of her life — she’s a forever cardiac patient. We’re so lucky Kapiolani has this heart center. Leila will benefit from it, and so will a lot of families here in Hawaii.”

The center was funded by Kapiolani’s heart campaign, which raised more than $10 million entirely from donations. Chuck Mi­tsui, whose child was born with a heart defect, and the Turner Farm Foundation were among the first major donors.

The new center comes with an expanded team, including its first full-time pediatric heart surgeon, Dr. Louis Capecci.

“The cardiac catheterization laboratory means children can have the lifesaving procedures they need inside a pediatric hospital, which comes with the added safety and comfort of having an entire team of pediatric specialists,” said Dr. Andras Bratincsak, Kapiolani pediatric cardiologist, in the release. “This center is a dream come true for me and it is truly a game­changer for families and children across the state.”