Aster Volunteers, the global CSR arm of Aster DM Healthcare, has successfully concluded the third edition of ‘Heart2Heart Cares 2023,’ a global CSR initiative which spans across GCC and India aimed at promoting heart health while saving the lives of underprivileged children in need of heart surgery. The event culminated in a grand celebration at Zabeel Park on October 29, 2023, with participants from UAE coming together to make a significant impact.
The third edition of #Heart2Heart by Aster Volunteers witnessed remarkable participation, with more than 16,600 enthusiastic individuals from India and the GCC region actively contributing to this noble cause. Participants collectively walked, symbolizing their commitment to both personal health and the welfare of underprivileged children. Through this remarkable effort, the Aster DM Foundation continues its pledge to provide life-saving pediatric cardiac surgeries for 50 underprivileged children.
The initiative, which commenced on World Heart Day, ran for a month until October 29, 2023. During this period, individuals were encouraged to register online and commit to walking a minimum of 10,000 steps per day. For every 10,000 steps walked by an individual in a day, INR 100 was donated by the Aster DM Foundation, furthering the cause of saving children’s lives.
The ‘Heart2Heart Cares 2023’ campaign was not limited to just walking, participants engaged in fitness programs, including walking 10,000 steps, cycling 10 km (in 90 mins), and burning 400 calories (in 90 mins) during the month-long Heart2Heart Cares campaign.
Ms. Alisha Moopen, Deputy Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare, commented on the initiative, stating, “Cardiovascular diseases continue to be the leading cause of death globally, claiming an estimated 17.9 million lives each year.[1] A significant proportion of these can be prevented or delayed if early intervention like lifestyle management, diet, exercise and proper care is taken by individuals. On the other hand, heart diseases or defects can be congenital in nature i.e present from birth. In India alone, over 200,000 children are estimated to be born with congenital heart disease each year[2] and not all families can afford suitable treatment leading to loss of lives. Under Aster Volunteers, we decided to interlink this cause, enabling individuals to take a proactive effort in regaining their fitness and be even more motivated as their effort would help in saving lives. We are overwhelmed by the response that Aster Volunteers ‘Heart2Heart Cares 2023’ initiative received this year with xxxx people registering to support the cause which will now impact the lives of 50 underprivileged children in need of life-saving heart surgery.”
One of the highlights of this year’s event was the special raffle draw for the first 2,000 registrations received from October 15, 2023, to October 25, 2023. Twenty fortunate participants from the UAE were selected and received exciting gifts during the closing event at Zabeel Park on October 29, 2023.
In addition to these gifts, participants also had the opportunity to win special prizes based on their performance. Special prizes were awarded to the top participants in both male and female categories who completed the highest number of eligible steps on October 29, 2023.
The closing event at Zabeel Park was a vibrant and joyous occasion where Team Aster Volunteers organized a range of entertainment activities and performances to emphasize the importance of healthy living. Participants who completed the highest number of steps were recognized and awarded for their outstanding contributions.
The initiative, launched in Dubai, UAE, witnessed local chapters organized by units across the Aster DM Healthcare network, including Aster, Medcare and Access facilities. This network consists of 33 hospitals, 127 clinics, 527* pharmacies, 229 labs & patient experience centers, all actively encouraging participation among the local communities. This year’s initiative significantly exceeded its predecessors in terms of impact and contributions. The first two editions, launched on World Heart Day 2021 and 2022, respectively, also witnessed substantial participation from India and GCC, resulting in over 8,750 participants and 331 million eligible steps.
[1] WHO: https://www.who.int/health-topics/cardiovascular-diseases#tab=tab_1
[2] Indian Pediatrics: https://www.indianpediatrics.net/dec2018/dec-1075-1082.htm#:~:text=Considering%20a%20birth%20prevalence%20of,the%20first%20year%20of%20life
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