Beginning today, Valentine’s Day through March 15th, HERO International will launch Operation “Heart-to-Heart,” a promotion to fund life-saving operations for Guyanese children with heart defects.
HERO International was founded by R. Allen Stanford, chairman of Stanford Private Wealth Management, with the goal of building a bridge of hope and stability for Caribbean families in distress.
Last year, Operation Heart to Heart effort funded four life-saving surgeries for Guyanese children. This year, the goal is to help 10 more children gain a healthy beating heart. Individuals interested in supporting the “Heart-to-Heart” program can purchase a teddy bear from Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Company at www.bhteddy.com, click on the “Save a Life” promotion and a $5 donation will be directly made to “Heart to Heart” fund.
The First Lady of Guyana, Varshnie Jagdeo contacted Frontier Lifeline Hospital in Chennai, India seeking their support because of the lack of cardiac surgeons in Guyana and because over half of Guyana’s population can trace their heritage to India.
By September 2005, four children traveled to Frontier Lifeline Hospital and by mid-October all four had undergone successful surgery and were able to return to Guyana for follow-up care.
HERO is a non-profit organization that endeavours to break the cycle of despair and anxiety of marginalized families by building a bridge of hope and stability through short-term housing for families in distress while they regroup, retrain and refine their skills and talents. The HERO system and LifeSkills training has produced an amazing group of confident, efficient and self-sufficient members of society. For more information about HERO visit, www.hiherointernational.org.
