Heartbeat Vietnam Reaches Important Milestone of 7,000th Child Saved

Heartbeat Vietnam, the core grassroots healthcare program of The VinaCapital Foundation, has funded 7,000 life-saving surgeries for underserved children with congenital heart defects from all 63 provinces of Vietnam. In 2018, Heartbeat Vietnam sponsored 733 heart surgeries and provided more than 250 additional surgeries in 2019.

According to research conducted by VCF and Vietnam’s leading pediatrics, about 16,000 Vietnamese children are born every year with congenital heart defects, of which about 7,500 children need intervention or surgery. Congenital heart defects don’t observe the boundaries of geography or economics, but the treatments often do. In Vietnam, where many families earn only a few dollars per day, specialized pediatric health care is beyond their grasp. The longer children with heart defects have to wait, the worse the negative impact it may cause on their health and development. They are often malnourished and suffer from breathing difficulties which prevent them from having a normal childhood and going to school.

The 7,000^th child of Heartbeat Vietnam is Tien Trinh Ngoc Vy, born in 2018, as one of the twin daughters of Mr. Tien Trieu Vuong and Ms. Trinh Thi Ngoc Ngan living in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City. The couple also has a 7 years-old son. Vy was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot at birth. Learning that the family is totally dependent on Mr. Vuong’s driver job for a living and Vy’s parents couldn’t afford the surgery costs of 80 million VND, Heartbeat Vietnam quickly responded to help Vy have a successful surgery at the Heart Institute of Ho Chi Minh City.

The 7000th child saved by Heartbeat Vietnam – Baby Tiền Trịnh Ngọc Vy

Talking to the Heartbeat Vietnam team about Vy’s making a fast recovery, Ms. Ngan could not hide her emotions: “I can’t thank you enough. Heartbeat Vietnam and the Heart Institute’s doctors have saved my little child. Today the surgeon who operated on Vy told me her heart is healthy. She is gaining weight and is strong enough to play just like her twin sister Kim Vy. Our family still has so many hardships in earning for a living but our children being healthy is the happiest thing.”

Mrs. Ngân – Vy’s mother happily shares with Heartbeat Vietnam about her daughter’s heart surgery journey

Collaborating with Heartbeat Vietnam to save 7000 children are compassionate doctors, who despite difficulties and hard work, together with VCF conduct more than 70 clinics each year in remote rural districts to early identify children with congenital heart defects. Outcomes in the treatment of heart defects are developing every day thanks to their relentless work and improvement of cardiovascular knowledge. Defects such as atrial septal defects ventricular septal defect and the Tetralogy of Fallot used to be known to have a high risk 10 years ago, but now they can be cured quite auspiciously. Other complicated defects also have better treatment potentials.

Heartbeat Vietnam’s talk show to share the success of the 7,000th child’s surgery

Doctor Nguyễn Minh Trí Viên, Ngọc Vy’s direct doctor shares in the talk show

“VinaCapital and I always want to contribute to society through VCF’s healthcare and education programs for underserved children,” said Mr. Don Lam, VCF Chairman, as he reviews the past journey of Heartbeat Vietnam. “What the program has achieved brings great happiness to all of us. However, we need to perform better in our programs to provide the best healthcare for children and families who are in need. We must boost our Outreach Clinic programs to identify kids with congenital heart defects more quickly. I am sure VCF will not stop until there is no more child died needlessly waiting for help.”

Mr. Don Lam, Chairman of VinaCapital Foundation, shares at the anniversary

Heartbeat Vietnam’s work can’t be achieved without collective efforts from the program team members, local partners across 63 provinces, and hundreds of sponsors who have contributed their time and passion to helping Vietnamese children. Fundraising and awareness-raising programs like Scar of Life, Run for The Heart, and the Connecting Love documentaries on HTV are a few of many creative and effective initiatives to help Heartbeat Vietnam heals more Vietnamese children’s hearts.

Mrs. Trương Mỹ Hoa is giving presents from Heartbeat Vietnam to Ngọc Vy