Hard Rock Cafe Vietnam team visits the children at Tam Duc Hospital.

6-month-old Kiet successfully underwent heart surgery. Kiet proved energetic as he crawled over the hospital beds.

Dan and An are two friends from the same province. They scurried around, laughed, and ate the Kit Kats that Hard Rock Cafe brought them.

2-year-old Dan’s parents, unable to afford surgery, would have continued to buy medicine for her that would only provide temporary relief.

An was among 76 children diagnosed with congenital heart defect in the Outreach Clinic at Ninh Thuan in late April. Her family never thought they could pay for an operation.

Thanks to Hard Rock’s donation, Dan and An will have surgery within the next week.

In Vietnam, about 16,000 babies are born every year with congenital heart defects, of which 7,500 cases need medical intervention, according to research conducted by The VinaCapital Foundation.

Defects such as atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, and Tetralogy of Fallot had high risks a decade ago but can now be cured.

Many children in rural areas have few chances for cardiac diagnosis and consultancy, which results in life-threatening complications.

Founded in 2007, VCF’s grassroots medical programs include Heartbeat Vietnam and Outreach Clinics - designed to locate disadvantaged children with congenital heart defects and other non-communicable diseases in even the remotest areas and provide access to quality healthcare.

Medical capacity building programs are partnerships with the Ministry of Health and include Critical Response emergency care – pediatric advanced life support training & emergency equipment, and Survive to Thrive – building capacity for neonatal care./.

VNF