Heart Care Foundation of India comes as a ray of hope for a young woman suffering from heart disease but unable to afford surgical intervention

Heart Care Foundation of India comes as a ray of hope for a young woman suffering from heart disease but unable to afford surgical intervention

Any person can apply for financial and technical support under the NGO’s key project the Sameer Malik Heart Care Foundation Fund by calling its helpline number +9958771177

New Delhi, June 11, 2016: Heart Care Foundation of India is a national non-profit organization that is committed to making India a healthier and disease-free nation. Under its key project, the Sameer Malik Heart Care Foundation Fund, the NGO has supported over 500 heart surgeries till date. One of these being that of (name changed) 21 year old Sultana Khatoon.

Sultana was diagnosed with complex cyanotic congenital heart disease when she visited her local doctor after being unable to conceive a child. Her condition made it impossible for her to have her own family without a surgery, which not only was way beyond what she and her husband (a tailor by profession) could afford but was also life-threatening. However, they did not give up.

When they heard about the financial and technical assistance provided by the Sameer Malik Heart Care Foundation Fund, an initiative by the Heart Care Foundation of India, her faith was restored. The fund adopted her case after informing her of the risks involved. She was adamant that she would fight anything that would come between her and her dream of having a family of her own. She was successfully operated at the National Heart Institute and is now on the pathway to a full recovery.

Speaking about the initiative, Padma Shri Awardee & the President of Heart Care Foundation of India, Dr K K Aggarwal said, “We at Heart Care Foundation of India believe that through the right kind of awareness, timely intervention and financial support, a majority of the heart diseases can be prevented and cured.  Any person can apply for the benefits of the Sameer Malik Heart Care Foundation Fund by calling on our helpline number +919958771177. We do not differentiate between age, caste, religion or caste. We do however give preferential treatment to girl children.”

“Sultana was diagnosed with Cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD), a condition present since birth. CCHD causes low levels of oxygen in the blood. A common symptom is a bluish tint to the skin, called cyanosis. While medication and help relieve symptoms, most cases require a corrective surgery. Given that Sultana was not operated upon in her early years, the risk of surgery for her was high. However we went ahead with the surgery because of her determination to become a mother someday. We are happy to say that her surgery was successful and she is recovering well”, he added.

Advances in diagnostic methods and treatment modalities have greatly reduced the rate of mortality associated with congenital heart diseases or rheumatic heart diseases in the developed countries. Surgery has also become much safer. But, in a developing country like India many patients, especially from the underprivileged section of the society die, as they still do not have access to treatment facilities majorly due to lack of funds.

 The helpline number +919958771177 for the Sameer Malik Heart Care Foundation Fund is open from Monday to Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM. Those who wish to apply online can download the application form from the website, http://heartcarefoundationfund.heartcarefoundation.org/. An expert committee comprising of notable individuals will assess all applications received by the fund. Once sanctioned, the funds would be directly deposited in the bank account of the medical establishments treating the patient.