California Fitness & Yoga Brings a Warm New Year to Children With Congenital Heart Defects

In the last three months, California Fitness & Yoga has organized many fundraising activities for children with congenital heart defects nationwide. The fund was channeled to Heartbeat Vietnam to sponsor one heart surgery for baby Minh Thien and give 120 Christmas gifts to patients in the Pediatric Cardiology of Children’s Hospital 2.

Baby Minh Thien was diagnosed with a ventricular septal congenital heart defect and aortic valve regurgitation at an outreach clinic of The VinaCapital Foundation in Can Tho. Minh Thien is the youngest of three siblings in a poor family. His father takes any job, from selling lottery tickets, and spraying bugs, to lawn mowing, to earning a living for a family of five and the medical expenses of Thien. Thien’s defects required surgery which cost up to 100 million VND. His family dare not to dream until they met Heartbeat Vietnam and California Fitness & Yoga. For three months, members and staff of California Fitness & Yoga Centers have been actively raising funds to save Thien’s, little heart.

Minh Thien with his parents before the surgery

In December, Thien had successful heart surgery at Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital. On December 26th, representatives of California Fitness & Yoga visited Thien at the hospital. Thanks to the devoted care of the doctors, Thien’s health is gradually being recovered.

Baby Minh Thien after the heart surgery

Witnessing Thien getting healthier, California Fitness & Yoga and Heartbeat Vietnam are delighted and touched

Funds from California Fitness & Yoga also helped bring a warm Christmas to more than 120 children being treated at the Cardiac Department of Children’s Hospital 2. With a jingle bell, 20 volunteers and Santa Claus came to each room, at each bedside, and presented teddy bears, milk, and chocolate candy to the children. It helped to ease their pain this Christmas.

May the love and small treats bring joy to this year’s Christmas day for all the children.

The smiles and joys of the children motivate Heartbeat Vietnam and California Fitness & Yoga to continue to organize more fundraising activities in the coming New Year.