Walk from the Heart by Gateway College

Congenital heart disease is a major killer in children under five years of age. For every 1000 newborn babies in Sri Lanka, 6-8 are born with a congenital heart disease. It is estimated that 2,5003,000 children are born with a congenital heart disease every year in Sri Lanka. Most of them will need either surgical or catheter based treatment within the first year of their life. Unless treated in a timely manner some of them will not live to see their first birthday and a majority will die before they reach adulthood.

The Children’s Heart Project was set up as a private sector initiative to help save Sri Lankan children with heart diseases. Their aim is to increase the number of successful children’s heart operations performed annually and ultimately to eliminate the long waiting list. They do this primarily by supporting the cardiac program at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital not only because it is the only tertiary care referral centre for such children in Sri Lanka but also because they provide treatment totally free of charge.

G a t ew ay

College Colombo will be organizing a walk titled “Walk from the Heart” to raise awareness on heart diseases of children and also to support the on- going projects of the Children’s Heart Project by raising much needed funds to obtain equipment and build infrastructure required by the LRH.

Walk from the Heart by Gateway College will be held on 25th July, 2015 commencing at 8 am. The Walk will commence from the premises of LRH and conclude at the school premises in Rajagiriya. Over 1,000 students from 3 – 18 years of age will join in the walk along with parents and teachers. They will carry placards, banners, posters and balloons accompanied by floats, decorated classic cars and many more attractions to raise awareness among the public.

The Gateway Community has geared up to make the walk worthwhile by targeting to raise maximum funds to help this worthy cause. The walk will be followed by a food and fun fair at the school premises which will feature the genuine effort of children who have put in their own effort in managing food and beverage stalls and games of skill in order to support the cause of the Children’s Heart Project.

While many schools org anize walks and parades to raise funds for their schools or to raise fun for themselve s, Gateway College has once again set a unique example by coming to the assistance of the Children’s Heart Project of Sri Lanka in their effort to save lives of children, many of who might not live to see their first birthday if not for timely medical intervention.

Walk from the Heart by Gateway College will be held on 25th

July, 2015 commencing at 8 am. The Walk will commence from the premises of LRH and

conclude at the school premises in

Rajagiriya. Over 1,000 students from 3 – 18 years of age will join in the walk along with parents

and teachers.