Hopeful Hearts is an organization run by a small group of expats and locals who raise funds for children with life-threatening heart conditions.
It was started in 2003 by two expat women who found an abandoned baby on the side of the road. The baby didn’t survive, but the incident provided the motivation to set up a charity. They now have locations in Nanjing, Chengdu and Guangzhou.
Since its inception in late 2012, the Guangzhou branch of Hopeful Hearts has been headed by Asha Hoffman. As soon as she arrived, she started asking around for people to help out. “All of our 10 members are volunteering so you really have to do it from your heart,” Hoffman says.
Guangzhou’s cardiology departments are some of the best in China, but the cost of treatment is prohibitive for many families, especially migrant workers. “A heart operation can cost between RMB40,000 to RMB70,000,” explains Hoffman.
This is where Hopeful Hearts comes in. They don’t cover 100 percent of the costs, but contribute as much as they think is needed towards a procedure. For a family to be eligible, they have to be in a salary bracket of RMB7,000 to 10,000 per year.
“We’re one big team and so there’s one big pot to share from,” explains Hoffman. “The charity works on a first come, first serve basis. Since starting… Hopeful Hearts has been able to help in over 300 cases.”
Guangzhou Hopeful Hearts has a partnership with a hospital in Panyu which notifies the Amity Foundation – the umbrella body running Hopeful Hearts – once a suitable family has been selected. Hoffman is then called in by Amity to write a report. One of the main questions she has to ask families is: “What have you done to raise money yourself?”
There is a payback system available with the hospital, but after factoring in the annual earnings of a low-income family and the burden of medical debt, Hoffman has seen some cases where the parents let nature take its course. It’s a sad but true reality that those who are given up on tend to be girls.
Hoffman, who has a background in tourism and events, says that they’re “still trying to find sponsors. We organize parties, movie nights, barbecues, yard sales… So far we’ve raised over RMB300,000 since setting up.”
Hoffman acknowledges that Hopeful Hearts is at the moment small, but she is confident that “every RMB is being put to good use.”
hopefulheartsguangzhou@shutterfly.com, hopefulheartsgz@hotmail.com.
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