Life Healthcare partners with the Thanda Heart Foundation to provide funding for children’s heart surgeries!
Johannesburg, South Africa (25 September 2020) – Life Healthcare Group has just announced that it will be covering a portion of the costs for heart surgeries for two children in partnership with the Thanda Heart Foundation, an NGO whose mission is to make the highest standard of health care accessible to all children and adults with heart disease.
“The two paediatric patients are a new-born baby and a 7-year-old toddler. Their surgeries will be performed at the Life St George’s Hospital in Port Elizabeth, and the specialists will perform the surgeries at no cost to the patients,” says Riaan Croucamp, Life Healthcare Regional Manager
Dr Adele Greyling, renowned paediatric cardiologist and electrophysiologist and founder of the Thanda Heart Foundation will be performing the surgery alongside Dr Samkelo Jiyana, a paediatric cardiologist.
“We approached Life Healthcare to be part of this very special journey for these children and are thankful that they have offered their support both financially and in the provision of their world-class cardiac centre at Life St George’s Hospital. They are playing an integral part in the lifesaving surgeries for these children,” says Greyling.
According to a study conducted by Cambridge Core, an estimated 15 million children die or are crippled annually by treatable or preventable heart disease in low- and middle-income countries. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is among the most common form of heart disease, with an estimated 11 000 children born annually in South Africa with this condition. Of these, approximately 4 500 will require surgical intervention1.
“Congenital heart disease has become more prevalent amongst children in South Africa; however, many children are not able to receive the life-saving surgery and treatment they need. The support being offered by the Life Healthcare Group and the Thanda Heart Foundation will make a lasting impact in the lives of these children for many years to come,” says Dr Samkelo Jiyana, paediatric cardiologist.
Life St George’s Hospital is renowned for its world-class cardiac centre that focuses on all aspects of cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery from prevention and diagnosis, to treatment and rehabilitation of cardiac patients. The surgeries for these children are also a tribute to the late Professor Lungile Pepeta, paediatric cardiologist and an executive dean of the Nelson Mandela University’s faculty of health sciences who was passionate about giving children with heart disease a fighting chance.
“We are excited and privileged to be in a position to make life better for our little patients. Along with Life St George’s dedicated team of multi-disciplinary doctors and the state-of-the-art technology within the unit, we can ensure that we are providing the best possible specialist cardiac services to these children, the greater Port Elizabeth areas, as well as South Africa,” concludes Croucamp.