About Us

Our Mission

  • To provide under privileged children with congenital and acquired heart diseases access to modern medical care.
  • To provide medical and non-medical personnel with training to replicate the Hrudaya model in other geographical areas with similar pediatric heart disease needs.
  • To increase awareness and educate the public on the causes, prevention, and eradication of pediatric heart diseases.

Hrudaya – Cure a Little Heart Foundation was founded in June 2005 with a vision to build a world class organization to provide treatment for economically disadvantaged children with pediatric heart disease (under the age of twelve) and to provide education, training and research opportunities to advance treatment options for improving the condition of pediatric heart treatment globally.

In India, each year about 180,000 children are born with Congenital Heart Disease. With less than 50 qualified health care centers in the country to care of these children, about 80% of these children die without seeing a specialist. About 5% to 8% receive appropriate treatment and the rest suffer with the disease and die prematurely. With proper prenatal awareness and care, timely intervention and treatment these lives can be saved.

Recognized as a reputable non-profit organization by both India (Hrudaya – 109/05 of 2005 (1926 SE)) and the United States (Cure a Little Heart Foundation – 501(c)), our organization prides itself in maintaining financial integrity through strict governance, tight controls and third party audits. We also invite donors to meet with the children they have helped and to stay engaged in their healthy progress.

History

In August 2004, about 18 economically disadvantaged children with heart diseases were brought to Hyderabad seeking treatment. Their story was picked up by a news channel and Dr. Gopichand Mannam was requested to give his specialist opinion. After the program was taped, these children were invited to CARE Hospital, Hyderabad, where Dr. Mannam was practicing at that time.

As a result of the attention this event received in the media, children with various heart conditions began approaching Dr. Mannam for help with their treatment. Over the course of the next 18 months, with the help of the CARE Foundation and donations received from the community, crucial medical procedures were performed at CARE Hospital on over 800 children suffering from congenital and rheumatic heart diseases. The Government of Andhra Pradesh stepped in and offered to help deal with this serious problem by making funds available through the Government funded Health Insurance program – Aarogyasri.

It, therefore, became necessary to look at the need comprehensively and provide the organized support necessary to find an effective solution. Thus, the Hrudaya -Cure a Little Heart Foundation was formed. The organization was registered as ‘Hrudaya’ in India and ‘Cure a Little Heart’ in the United States ((501(c)).