141 Children With Cardiovascular Disease Require Urgent Surgery

Nairobi, April 9, 2015… The Mater Heart Run initiative raised over 62 million in 2014 up from 19millon raised in 2009. This amount has seen over 1,296 children from underprivileged background access cardiac surgery, within these past 6 years.

In the last year, up to 97 children have been found to have congenital heart diseases while 44 others were found to have rheumatic heart disease, during the free medical camps held by The Mater Hospital in various counties to screen and educate the community on heart diseases, and thus reduce the incidence of the disease in the country. Over 81,000 children have been screened across the country to date, during the free cardiac screening camps, which started in 2008, while 2,808 others with no recourse to medicare have been operated on.

Speaking during the launch of the 15th edition of the run, Mater Hospital Ag. CEO Dr. Agnes Chege shared stories of some of the success stories The Mater Cardiac Program has had in the 19 years of its existence. She sincerely thanked all the organizations, schools and individuals that participate in the runs annually, for their invalueable assistance in ensuring that children get a new lease of life. Her sentiments were echoed by the hospital’s trustees, represented by Sr. Anne Itotia and Sr. Brigid Marnane, both of whom, emphasized that the spirit of the founding Sisters of Mercy, lived on in the hospital’s activities through the acts of mercy perpetuated.

This year, the run targets to raise Kshs. 70 million and operate up to 250 children and screen 25,000 others from unprivileged backgrounds, drawn from different parts of the country.

Speaking while presenting Safaricom’s donation of Kshs 5 Million to this year’s run, Safaricom Sponsorship Manager Angeline Sonje called upon Kenyans to come up in large numbers and support the run which has saved the lives of many needy children over the years. Other sponsors, such as Capital Group, Kings Collection, Standard Group, Parapet Limited and many others committed their support to the run this year to ensure that children are given a new lease of life.

This year’s  run will be held on 23rd May at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi at 7:00am, Mombasa Sports Club in Mombasa at 9.00am, Booker Academy in Mumias at 8.30am and Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos at 8.00am

A paybill number has been set up for Individuals and corporate organizations wishing to support the run can make a donation in cash or M-pesa through the paybill number 526300, Account number-HeartRun

Nairobi, April 9, 2015… The Mater Heart Run initiative raised over 62 million in 2014 up from 19millon raised in 2009. This amount has seen over 1,296 children from underprivileged background access cardiac surgery, within these past 6 years.

In the last year, up to 97 children have been found to have congenital heart diseases while 44 others were found to have rheumatic heart disease, during the free medical camps held by The Mater Hospital in various counties to screen and educate the community on heart diseases, and thus reduce the incidence of the disease in the country. Over 81,000 children have been screened across the country to date, during the free cardiac screening camps, which started in 2008, while 2,808 others with no recourse to medicare have been operated on.

Speaking during the launch of the 15th edition of the run, Mater Hospital Ag. CEO Dr. Agnes Chege shared stories of some of the success stories The Mater Cardiac Program has had in the 19 years of its existence. She sincerely thanked all the organizations, schools and individuals that participate in the runs annually, for their invalueable assistance in ensuring that children get a new lease of life. Her sentiments were echoed by the hospital’s trustees, represented by Sr. Anne Itotia and Sr. Brigid Marnane, both of whom, emphasized that the spirit of the founding Sisters of Mercy, lived on in the hospital’s activities through the acts of mercy perpetuated.

This year, the run targets to raise Kshs. 70 million and operate up to 250 children and screen 25,000 others from unprivileged backgrounds, drawn from different parts of the country.

Speaking while presenting Safaricom’s donation of Kshs 5 Million to this year’s run, Safaricom Sponsorship Manager Angeline Sonje called upon Kenyans to come up in large numbers and support the run which has saved the lives of many needy children over the years. Other sponsors, such as Capital Group, Kings Collection, Standard Group, Parapet Limited and many others committed their support to the run this year to ensure that children are given a new lease of life.

This year’s  run will be held on 23rd May at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi at 7:00am, Mombasa Sports Club in Mombasa at 9.00am, Booker Academy in Mumias at 8.30am and Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos at 8.00am

A paybill number has been set up for Individuals and corporate organizations wishing to support the run can make a donation in cash or M-pesa through the paybill number 526300, Account number-HeartRun