Mission Statement
Saving one heart at a time. Our Goal is to build cardiac centres Across Africa starting from Nigeria where there will be access to heart screens and education. Until then, we will keep organising operations to the children on our waiting list.
About This Cause
The Kanu Heart Foundation was established to help underprivileged African children and young adults, living with different heart ailments in Nigeria and other African countries respectively, obtain the cardiac surgical operations needed. This journey began in England where the first two beneficiaries of the Foundation; Master Oluwatofunmi Okude and little Miss Enitan Adesola, were operated on, at Crown Hospital London in 2000.
The exorbitant high fees charged by London hospitals pushed us to search for new partners in Israel where the Save-a-Child Heart (organisation) opened its door to our relationship with Wolfson Medical Centre in Tel Aviv.
In Israel, many open heart surgeries were performed, and when the number of patients with heart defects began to rise, we started to search for more avenues, with a cost effective price, and the same high quality treatment. This search took us to India where we have many hospitals working with us at present.
In trying to cope with the demanding increase in foreign exchange occasioned by these surgeries abroad, we decided a trial run, by bringing cardiac surgeons and experts to carry out surgeries in our hospitals in Nigeria. The International Children Heart Foundation (Menphis. USA) to come to the University Teaching Hospital Enugu (Nigerian) in 2003. 13 open heart surgeries were performed by a team, lead by Professor Novick and included leading Nigerian doctors in under 10 days.
Despite the loss of three children after the surgeries, we are encouraged by the zeal and enthusiasm with which our Nigerian doctors performed. This is a clear indication that given the right atmosphere, the necessary equipment and infrastructure the procedures currently obtained in India , Israel , and England, these operations can be carried out in Nigeria and the rest of Africa.
As of September 2018, the Kanu Heart Foundation has had 542 successful surgeries meaning we have saved 542 lives.
The Kanu cup charity fundraiser game which took place in Barnet Stadium on30th September 2018 will see us help save 5 more children. We are constantly looking for support and fresh ways to raise awareness and opportunity to save more live.
