The Mater Hospital first embraced Pediatric Cardiac program in 1994 after it relocated from Gertrude Gardens Children’s Hospital, since 1996 to date more than 3093 children have been treated either by surgery or interventional cardiac catheterization by the program. This has been the largest cardiac program in East and Central Africa and also does the most complex surgeries.
The first successful “closed” heart surgery was conducted in 1995 by Kenyan doctors while the “open” heart commenced in 1996.
Dr. Christine Jowi Awour Yuko being the current lead pediatric cardiologist states that the cardiac program has grown from 20 “open” hearts annually to 200 cases a year.
Cardiac program, has 5 main arms which are:
- Screening Camps: which helps in reaching rural and remote areas to give awareness and treatment
- Open heart surgeries and interventional catheterization: These are corrective measures undertaken to provide remedies for children with both congenital and acquired (mostly rheumatic) heart diseases
- Diagnostic Catheterization: where a procedure is undertaken in their Cath-lab to better define the nature of the cardiac illness
- Cardiac Missions: These are partnerships they have developed with medical teams, institutions and governments from some of the world’s best centers in which their teams come to their hospital to operate on children under their program
- Cardiac Clinic: This is where the initial evaluation and follow-up of cardiac cases are undertaken.
THE RUN
The Mater Heart Run was started in 2002 as one of the main fundraising avenues for the Cardiac program with a “theme” of “touch many more children’s hearts”.
Initially was only held in Nairobi, now has grown in other counties over the years. This year’s Run was held on Saturday 21st May 2016 simultaneously in Nairobi, Mombasa, Machakos, Mumias, Kisumu and Nyeri.
Triad Architects Management supported the run by buying merchandise (T-shirts) worth KShs. 10,000.00.
This was a 10KM/6.21miles run which started from 8:00a.m to 10:00a.m see below route map:
Below are photos captured during the walk:-
