LENMED AIR 2019.pdf

THE CHILDREN’S CARDIAC FOUNDATION OF AFRICA TRUST Founded by world-renowned, paediatric cardiac surgeon, Prof Robin Kinsley, The Children’s Cardiac Foundation of Africa Trust was registered in January 2019. Its mission is to save the lives and improve the health of children born with congenital heart disease in Africa by raising funds for heart surgeries and through training specialists and support staff in the field of paediatric cardiac care. The need One in 100 babies are born with a structural heart defect, making congenital heart disease (CHD) the most common birth defect in the world. Each year, an estimated 3 000 South African children die or remain disabled from their diagnosed and treatable CHD while waiting for treatment at public hospitals. As a public private collaborative initiative, we utilise excess capacity at Ethekwini Hospital and Heart Centre to facilitate surgery for indigent patients. These children can be treated on an elective basis and the heart disease is likely resolved, at least for several years or even decades, with one operation or intervention. The Children’s Cardiac Foundation of Africa as a force for social good The consequences and costs of untreated CHD are considerable. Survivors of CHD without surgical intervention require frequent hospital visits and repeated admissions for the complications of unoperated CHD. The continued need for highly specialised medical treatments places a significant financial and psychological burden on already impoverished caregivers, with up to 15% of families requiring mental health services due to the child’s condition. Our work with children’s heart disease acts as a strong commitment to attending to the healthcare needs of African children and families affected by CHD. Better care for these children will not only result in significantly fewer missed school and work days (for parents) but can act as a catalyst to improve paediatric healthcare by freeing up resources previously used to treat unoperated CHD patients. Lenmed’s commitment to heart healthcare in children To help the Foundation reach its target of treating 300 children by 2021, Lenmed has committed R2 million to cover the operational costs of the Foundation, so donor contributions are never used to cover administration costs. Furthermore, Ethekwini Hospital and Heart Centre is proud to support the work of the Foundation by providing use of its state-of-the- art theatres and wards at no cost. The heart has always been a symbol of love. A symbol of affection and care. It represents all that is good in life. It represents hope and happiness. The fact that there is still such a high heart-related death rate when it comes to children living on my own continent, is unthinkable to me. My journey has been tough, but so rewarding, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. And some of my greatest teachers have been children. Now, I believe it’s the time in my life to do something really good. All over Africa today there are children who desperately need life-saving heart surgery — and we can give it to them. My dream is to save the lives of children. To heal their broken hearts. To watch them grow up and kick a football around. To grow hope and happiness. And I believe in this dream...with all my heart.” Prof Robin Kinsley Visit www.tccfa.org if you would like to find out more about The Children’s Cardiac Foundation of Africa. 42 HOW WE PERFORMED