In the famous words of the former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, “together as a nation, we have the obligation to put sunshine into the hearts of our little ones. They are our precious possessions. They deserve what happiness life can offer.”

Therefore, in celebration of the Nelson Mandela Day, LottoStar has donated R120 000 to the #GMAHeartsOfHope. The #GMAHeartsOfHope is an initiative by Jacaranda FM’s Good Morning Angels to raise funds for children in need of life-saving heart operations at the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital (NMCH), in Johannesburg.

The funds raised by #GMAHeartsOfHope will enable 32 children to receive the heart operations they need. The R120 000 contributed by LottoStar will cover three children’s heart operations.

It is reported that 11 000 children are born with congenital heart disease (CHD) and each year, an average of 4 500 children require surgery. Although CHD and other related heart conditions can be successfully managed or treated at specialised centres like the NMCH, a huge number of South African children die because of a lack of medical intervention.

According to the South African Medical Journal (SAMJ), “South Africa has failed to treat its children well” and “has been steadily falling behind internationally accepted levels of care for children with congenital and acquired heart disease.”

On average a child’s heart operation would cost around R40 000 at the NMCH with the waiting list at the government hospitals being very long. In Gauteng alone, over 300 children are reported to be on the waiting list for the paediatric cardio surgery.

Those who are interested in contributing towards the #GMAHeartsOfHope, can do so here.

The amount contributed by LottoStar is part of the final winnings from the LottoStar and Jacaranda FM’s How Lucky Can You Get? competition.

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