THE Jamaica Foundation for Cardiac Disease is seeking to raise

Under the theme “Heartbeats Alive for 35”, the foundation is expected to launch its appeal with a candlelight ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston on February 27.

Following the launch of the fundraising programme, the corporate community will be invited to support the Foundation’s ‘Jeans day for Hearts’ on Friday, March 7, when employees are asked to wear Jeans to work and pay a ‘fine’ of $50.00 towards the ‘Hearts Alive for 35’ programme.

President of the Foundation, Beverley Dinham Spencer, in announcing the plans, also asked Jamaicans overseas to support the programme with a donation of US$2.00 per person.

The money collected will be used by the foundation to facilitate treatment of the children in a joint programme between local medical teams, as well as visiting medical teams from the United States and the United Kingdom.

Medical teams from both countries have recently confirmed their intention to visit Jamaica to assist with the surgeries required, she said. The Caribbean Heart Menders Association (CHMA) medical team from the US is expected to visit from April 26 to May 3, 2003, and the Chain of Hope from the UK will visit later in the year.

The CHMA team will operate from the Bustamante Children’s Hospital along with the local medical team, headed by doctors Charmaine Scott, Lambert Innis, and Roger Irvine.

A total of 30 patients will be operated on locally. The two visiting teams will be assigned approximately ten (10) children, while the local team will operate on another 10 patients.

In her appeal to the public, Dinham Spencer advised that the other 35 children targeted for assistance this year will be sent overseas for treatment to medical centres recommended by the Foundation’s Medical Advisory Committee.

She said although 57 children are on the list, the doctors have advised that the other 22 patients will continue to receive medical treatment and supervision until surgery can be arranged.

Phillip Martin, chairman of the fundraising committee of the foundation, also made a special appeal to corporate Jamaica to assist this fundraiser. He further indicated that all funds from this year’s ‘Golfing for Hearts’ Tournament will be donated towards the foundation’s efforts to get a special van to transport the echocardiogram machine, and other equipment, that can assist heart patients in the rural areas of Jamaica.

At the same time, the Jamaica Foundation for Cardiac Disease is inviting corporate donors to call or come to their offices for further information on the ‘Heartbeats Alive for 35’ programme.