Bangalore, Karnataka -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2012 -- Three-month-old Shaili and her mother Seema were abandoned by the child's father. Reason: the infant was suffering from a heart ailment and he did not want to spend on her treatment.
Having lost her son two years earlier to the same ailment, Seema was determined to do whatever it took to save Shaili. Doctors had estimated that the surgery would cost approximately Rs 60,000. Despite selling off all her jewellery Seema could raise only Rs 30,000.
A dejected Seema didn't know where to go when 'Have A Heart Foundation ' virtually came knocking on her door. Run by four Bangaloreans, the trust bore the rest of the cost and a hale-andhearty Shaili was soon restored to her mom.
Shaili's is one among the 2,700 surgeries, mostly of children, sponsored by the Have A Heart Foundation at a cost of Rs 10.50 crore. Fifteen years after city traders and professionals Manohar Chatlani, Ram Melwani, Komal Melwani and Harish Mirpuri came together for this noble cause, the foundation is now active in Kolkata, Jaipur and Midnapore too.
"An open-heart surgery costs anywhere between Rs 1.50 lakh-Rs 2.50 lakh with a general ward stay and presuming that no valve is replaced or artificial device implanted . Undergoing heart surgeries in most hospitals is like a bandit putting a gun on your head and asking you to pay a huge sum of money if you desire to live. When I came across one such case during a business visit to Kolkata, I was totally taken aback. Thereon I decided to do whatever I could to help the needy," says Manohar, a garment and sari trader.
Cousin Ram, a businessman; Komal, a fashion designer and Harish , a builder and developer joined Manohar and the foursome started a clinic for treatment of HIV+ and other patients on St John's Road in 1997. The foundation began to sponsor heart surgeries for the poor after collaborating with Narayana Hrudayalaya and Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research - the two biggest cardiac care establishments in Bangalore.
Today, the foundation gets a list of 25 patients from Narayana Hrudayalaya and 30 from Jayadeva every month. "I personally interview the patients and their family. If we find anything doubtful then a social worker visits the families and verifies the facts given to us," says Komal.
"The patient has to arrange whatever amount he or she can afford and we take care of the rest. There is no shortage of patients but there is shortage of funds. If we have enough funds, we can sponsor about 1,000 surgeries every month," Manohar explains.
The foundation also follows up with the patients and their families post surgery.
Parent's Point
My son Atharva was diagnosed with heart complications when he was just a month old. Doctors said the surgery would cost about Rs 70,000. I could arrange only about Rs 40,000 from my Provident Fund. Doctors then put me on to the foundation, which bore the remaining cost. Now nine-months old, my son is healthy.
Vinayak Pawar | A Mechanic, Kolhapur, Maharashtra
Doctors' Report
The foundation is doing a fabulous job, without any expectation and little advertisement . The way they choose beneficiaries is transparent and non-discriminatory . In case of emergency, they even give online approval for financial assistance.
Dr CN Manjunath | Director, Jayadeva Institute Of Cardiovascular Sciences And Research
What the trustees have done is commendable . No rich man can say that he alone will support 100 heart surgeries every month. But if many well-to-do people like these come together they can encourage society to contribute for a cause.