The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has given an audience to families and their children who have survived hole-in-heart disease, under the auspices and kind sponsorship of the May 9 Foundation in collaboration with the Shen Yuet and Shen Yang Children Heart Foundation.

The visit came during the silver jubilee celebrations of the Ashanti King, who is currently receiving visitors from all over the world, including visiting presidents, diplomats, chiefs and other traditional and political leaders.

More than 25 children have undergone successful surgeries at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital’s Cardiothoracic Unit in the past year to cure their hole-in-heart diseases.

The Shen Yuet and Shen Yang Children’s Heart Foundation, founded by Y.C. Shen, Head of the SUNDA Group of Companies, came to the rescue of these children whose families could not afford the high cost of the surgeries.

Although a few children could not make it through the surgical procedure due to delayed intervention, close to 30 children survived and are now living normal lives.

Herbert Mensah, who is the Secretary of the Children’s Heart Foundation, led the delegation, which included families and their children who benefited from the hole-in-heart surgeries.

Erica Amoako, Administrator of the Children’s Heart Foundation; Lucas who is Managing Director at the Kumasi Branch of SUNDA, as well as Rafatu Inusah and Sacut Amenga-Etego, who are all involved in coordinating activities of the Shen Yuet and Shen Yang Children’s Heart Foundation, in collaboration with the May 9 Foundation were part of the team that met and greeted the Asantehene on his Silver Jubilee.

The occasion also coincided with the 23rd anniversary of the Accra Stadium Disaster which occurred on May 9, 2001, at a time that Herbert Mensah was Chairman of Asante Kotoko, of which the Asantehene is the life patron.

The Asantehene, who made time to see the delegation during an extremely busy period, praised Herbert Mensah and the Shen Yuet and Shen Yang Children’s Heart Foundation for putting smiles back on the faces of several children and their families, through their philanthropic intervention.

He also took time to interact with some of the beneficiary children.

"So far, successful surgeries have been done for about over 25 children with hole-in-heart disease at Korle Bu. A few children could not make it through the surgeries due to delayed intervention with each of the surgeries costing between $6000-$14000," Herbert Mensah, who is Secretary of the Shen Yang and Shen Yuet Children’s Heart Foundation, disclosed to the Asantehene.

He continued, "The entire cost is covered by the Shen Yang & Shen Yuet Children’s Heart Foundation which was started by one of my business associates Mr. Y.C Shen. As secretary of this children’s heart foundation, I can tell you that we intend to do between 20 and 30 surgeries every year for the next 10 years."

The king, a philanthropist and fan of children himself, encouraged the Children’s Heart Foundation to continue to help more children and their families and promised to see the delegation again at a later and less busy period.





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