The Heart To Heart Trust Fund is celebrating the completion of eight years of service to the country through SAVING THE LIVES of financially disadvantaged heart patients with the objective of “None should die or suffer from heart disease in our country because of financial deprivation.”
Its Executive Coordinator Shanti Fernando has sent us the following statement:
On Saturday, November 12, 2022 the Trust Fund volunteers with the hospital staff are organizing a Meritorious Alms-giving for 40 members of Clergy who have received surgery at the hands of Dr. Rajitha Y de Silva and Dr. Aruna Kapuruge at the Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital, Ward 20 (Cardiothoracic ward).
We are also inviting around 50 patients who have undergone heart surgery by the two doctors to be with us on this day.
Over the period, we have been able to save over 450 lives. These are individuals who have undergone various procedures and have been eventually reunited with their families and society, and are today living normal and fruitful lives.
When somebody is having a heart disease it is a matter of life and death where a price tag is attached to his/her life. Intervening with financial assistance to facilitate a heart surgery could very well negate death and save the life of the patient concerned – a spiritually rewarding act on the part of the donor.
The Heart to Heart Trust Fund is a Charitable Trust, functioning under the patronage of the Head of State, the President, and co-founded by leading Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Rajitha Y de Silva and his Mentor and eminent Senior Consultant Cardiologist, Dr. Ruvan Ekanayaka with the guidance of a group of eminent persons who comprise the Board of Trustees and a beautiful group of individuals who volunteer wholeheartedly to support the noble cause.
When a long date is given to a heart patient where fast and timely intervention is of the essence to win the battle between life and death, the only available option then is to seek treatment in a fee levying private hospital or fee-levying semi-Government Sri Jayewadenepura General Hospital (SJGH). To settle for this option and save their lives, financially impoverished patients can access assistance from the President’s Fund after going through a long and tiresome application procedure. And this is where the Heart to Heart Trust Fund comes in. We provide financial support of another Rs. 100,000/= to Rs. 500,000/= and sometimes even more to patients who are supported by the President’s Fund as this will enable them to mobilize where possible the required balance from their own meagre resources.
We have three sources of funding;
1. Donations from individuals, institutional and corporate entities
2. Fund raising events organised by our committed group of volunteers, most of whom were once heart patients who have now fully recovered and work hard when required, to help reach our goals and objectives. In addition, we also raise funds by working in collaboration with organisations such as the Lions Club.
3. The Abhayadanaya Programme is yet another fundraiser we have organised. Families and Individuals too can join this programme by sponsoring a patient to commemorate an event or anniversary or celebrate a wedding or birthday by saving the life of a cardiac patient with a part of the money that would otherwise be spent on celebration alone.
A special aspect of this event is that it brings together the religious dignitaries who were supported by the Heart To Heart Trust Fund while giving us also the opportunity of sharing their joy and happiness