3. Heart Babies Project in Tanzania One out of every 200 children born in developing countries suffers from a repairable congenital or rheumatic heart defect. In Tanzania, at any given time, more than 7,000 children and adolescents await surgery. This African state has few specialised paediatric cardiac facilities. Left untreated, the children die before their 21st birthday. There is an urgent need to send them abroad for open heart surgery. The TOS in Tanzania is partnering with the Lions Club of Dar es Salaam and the Tanzanian Government’s Ministry of Health in the Heart Babies Project. Groups of 20 to 30 children and babies travel together to India for heart surgery, where altruistic surgeons waive their fees. To date 1,200 youngsters have been successfully operated upon. The TOS in Dar es Salaam supports the Heart Babies Project by contributing towards the small essentials required by the children and their carers during their travel: suitcase, handbag, extra clothes, toiletries, biscuits, etc. Costs for this vary between US$25 and $50 per child. The TOS group is a dedicated one that believes in giving the human touch to any project. In this regard, when children are ready to travel to India for their surgery, the group works prior to their departure to obtain a list of their personal requirements. Merely handing over money or just purchasing and passing on these essentials is not the philosophy of the group. The members make a point of interacting with the children and their escorts, speaking positively about their future and encouraging them to stay strong. Usually, a send-off ceremony is arranged at the main hospital or even at the airport, where members gather to lend their support in person. The same is done upon their return, so as to share the joy of their successful surgery. The TOS in Australia has adopted this project as one of its National Projects in 2011. If you or your local TOS group would like to support the Heart Babies Project in Tanzania, please send your donation to:
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