Mandela Day 2019: #GMAHeartsOfHope on Breakfast with Martin Bester raised R1,8 million!

On Mandela Day 2019 Jacaranda FM will support the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital, specifically to perform life-saving heart operations on needy children. The two-year old, state of the art facility has all the latest technology and world-class medical practitioners to perform these delicate life-saving surgeries, however they need public funding for consumables to perform these operations on children from impoverished families.

 #GMAHeartsOfHope aims to raise enough funds to enable the NMCH to mend at least 10 children’s hearts and in this way to give them, their families and communities hope for a better future.

For an average of R40 000,00, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital can heal a child’s heart. This is only a fraction of the cost in a private hospital, but still out of reach for the majority of South African families.

More than 11-thousand children are born with heart defects in South Africa every year. The theatre waiting lists at state facilities are endless and many of these children will not live long enough to wait for their turn. The waiting list for pediatric cardio surgery in Gauteng alone is over 300.

To donate, click on the DONATE button. 

We were fortunate to hear good news stories on Mandela Day 2019!

Prof Hopewell Ntsin-Jana, Head Of Cardiology NMCH expressed his gratitude on Mandela Day.

Kagiso Tiso Holdings donates towards life-changing heart procedures. 

If you are unable to donate, you are welcome to give a child a 'welcome pack'. It is a fun-filled pack that contains materials to entertain, inform and support patients during their stay at the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital.

• Brand new story books
• Brand new toys
• Drawing and colouring-in books
• Stationary (including crayons, paints, craft kits, play dough/children's play clay)
• Musical toys
• Board games

Breakfast with Martin Bester set out on a Mandela Day mission, #GMAHeartsOfHope, to fix 10 children’s hearts.

After three hours on-air, that total shot up to 30 hearts - with a total pledged of R1,2 million!

But the giving didn’t stop …. 

On Friday morning, the total pledged and paid for stands at R1,8 million - that’s 45 hearts!!

We also asked you to bring toys for welcome packs to the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital.

Loads of toys, colouring books, clay dough, soft toys and reading books were dropped off.

There is also enough toys for 200 complete welcome packs

Breakfast with Martin Bester and Good Morning Angels would like to thank everyone who donated to give a child hope for the future.

Round Table Golden East 181 revived their Boikano Foundation three years ago to specifically raise funds for these operations. Due to limitations at state hospitals, the Boikanyo Foundation partnered with the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital last year. To date, 30 surgeries have been done at the NMCH through the funds’ assistance. All the little patients were referred by state hospitals and now have a fighting chance to live a healthy, productive and joyful life.

To boost their Boikanyo awareness and fundraising efforts, the Round Table Golden East 181 created the Boikanyo Bug.

The Boikanyo Bug is a donated 1972 VW Beetle, that will be driven by two Round Table members, for over 14 500 km through Africa to Romania.

The Bug will start its journey towards the end of Breakfast with Martin Besters’ live broadcast from the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital on International Mandela Day, 18 July. The bug aims to end its epic journey in Romania at the Round Table International World Meeting on 24 August 2019.  They aim to raise R5 million rand to cover the costs of 125 paediatric cardio surgeries. 

 More info: www.theboikanyobug.co.za