The Heart to Heart
Foundation
Upon their return from The United States of America, Dr.
Betty Gikonyo first worked at The Kenyatta National Hospital. There were great
challenges; the diagnosis mechanisms had ground to a halt. In addition, the
only programme available for facilitation of open heart surgeries was inactive.
Luckily they had bought a 2 dimensional echocardiogram that helped a lot with
the diagnosis of heart conditions then. Soon they were servicing the needs of
patients from the national hospital and beyond. After the diagnosis what then?
There were fewer open heart surgeries being carried out during that time. Dr.
Betty Gikonyo was troubled by the fact that after making her diagnoses she couldn’t
proceed to plan for the much needed surgeries due to financial constraints and lack
of proper mechanisms to carry out corrective open heart surgeries.
For those who closely know Dr. Betty Gikonyo, they would
certainly agree that she is not one to be put down by a challenge. Instead like
an eagle she glides in the storm. Initially they sought help from cardiologists
and surgeons from countries such as Italy, India, Britain and America. Their
patients could not afford to pay for these surgeries and the Gikonyos would often
appeal for fully sponsored heart surgeries.
The Children Heart Fund, now called Children’s Heart Link,
had offered a scholarship to Dr. Dan Gikonyo to study cardiology. They had also
hosted the Gikonyos in Minneapolis. Over the years a good partnership had
developed. Not only did they received the first batch of children who need surgeries
from the Gikonyos but they also trained cardiac nurses and doctors in order to
help increase skilled cardiology medical staff in Kenya.
The process of seeking treatment abroad was riddled with
hurdles. Fund raisers were often organized. This meant getting a permit from
the provincial commissioner’s office. One was also to get a letter from the
Ministry of Health authorizing that the patient be treated oversees. As if this
was not enough, the Central Bank of Kenya had to give the go ahead for the
purchase an air ticket after depositing with them a certain percentage of the
total cost of the air ticket. There was also a limit imposed on the amount of
foreign currency one could travel with out of the country.
The airlifts began in 1986 and went on for a number of
years. Dr. Betty Gikonyo was convinced that there had to be another way; that
was not the only solution to this problem. While travelling to Minneapolis for
Dr. Dan Gikonyo to further his studies, the Gikonyos had been requested to travel
with one ill young man. The same organization that had offered Dr. Dan Gikonyo
a scholarship was the same one catering for this young man’s treatment. His
name was Sammy Arap Keter. While airborne a medical crisis unfolds. Sammy took
seriously ill and needed urgent medical attention. With their medical expertise
they quickly diagnosed pulmonary oedema.
Acting first, oxygen and a couple of intravenous drugs were administered and
his condition stabilized. From this nasty incident, they knew they had to do
something to help children from economically challenged backgrounds in
accessing such medical services. The conceived idea later birthed The Heart to
Heart Foundation in 1993.
Already there was a
team of highly trained expertise in the country. The only thing they lacked was
medical equipment to perform the surgeries locally. Through the good will of
contacts especially Dr. Joseph Kiser, equipment was procured including the
heart- lung machine and expensive disposables such as oxygenator packs, tubing
and filters. The equipment was set up at The Nairobi Hospital. All was set for
the first open heart surgery to be performed at The Nairobi Hospital.
On 3rd
October 1993, eight year old Judy Mbuthia became the first Heart to Heart
Foundation beneficiary.
To date over 300 children have had surgery through
sponsorships by this foundation, both locally and abroad. Over a 1000 others
have received other forms of treatment and management care.
Having been established under the Trustees Deed Act of the
Laws of Kenya, the foundation is a Kenyan non-profit medical charity. Its
vision is to reduce the prominence of heart diseases in children under the age
of 18, as well as ensuring that no child lacks access to cardiac medical treatment
because of poverty.
It has three missions that include; spearheading the prevention campaign on
preventable heart disease in children, creating the framework for proper diagnosis of heart disease in children
through training and education and raising adequate funds to facilitate open-
heart surgery for needy children under the age of 18 suffering from both
congenital and acquired heart disease.
It is important to
note that the foundation is not only involved in the treatment of cardiac cases
but also in the inhibiting of preventable heart conditions. The Heart to Heart
Foundation has had a number of partnership programs to help in their noble
cause. One of them involved a partnership involving The Heart to Heart
Foundation, the Ministry of Health and Nairobi University to avert crises
waiting to happen. One of the major causes of such heart conditions like
rheumatic heart disease (R.H.D) is something we often tend to ignore; untreated
sore throat. Steptococci bacteria
cause rheumatic fever which in turn destroys the valves and could lead to heart
failure. There was a major concern with the number of children seeking medical
attention as a result of rheumatic heart disease.. They taught healthcare
providers on proper diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic fever and rheumatic
heart disease and more importantly how to nip streptococci sore throats in the
bud before it escalates. It was evident that the nonchalant attitudes towards
sore throats had to be checked by both parents and healthcare workers. Between
1996 and 2006 over 5000 health workers were trained in 35 sites across Kenya.
They in turn spearheaded the training of other healthcare workers in their
areas of operations. Through these efforts over 2 million people were reached
with the important message of prevention, diagnosis, management and treatment
of rheumatic heart disease. Over 300
cases of rheumatic fever were correctly diagnosed and referred for treatment
during this period.
Initially the children heart link in Minnesota paid for the
treatment of heart conditions in addition to sending a team of doctors over.
With time we devised mechanisms of raising funds ourselves. This has been through
a number of activities in the course of the year. The Karen Hospital Run is an
annual event that aims to raise funds through encouraging individuals, schools
and corporate to participate through buying of Karen Heart Run T-shirts. The
Nairobi Goat Derby is another fun day organized by the Karen Hospital.
Individuals, corporate and schools are encouraged to participate through
purchase of tickets. The day is filled with entertainment and fun activities
such as goat racing, bouncing castle, face painting and plenty of nyama choma. The last event of the year
is always the annual gala dinner event where again individuals, organizations
and corporate are invited to purchase tickets towards this noble course.
Donations are also sent to
the foundation through an Mpesa
paybill number 517800 account number hearttoheart and Equity
bank account, community branch, account number: 0180291943487,account
name: heart to heart foundation.
All the monies collected are
directed towards heart surgery and treatment of children from economically
challenged backgrounds.
The Swahili say,” Haba haba hujaza kibaba,” through your
kind gesture we have been able to restore stolen childhoods, renew lost hope
and leave a mark on a child’s heart. This is not a mean feat and we would not
have achieved any of it without you. We are eternally grateful for your help. Asante sana.
