• Aster DM Foundation and associated hospitals will sponsor free pediatric surgeries of 50 underprivileged children.
  • Over 3,000 people participated in the Mega Walk event on November 3 at Zabeel Park to mark the closing ceremony.
  • Aster Volunteers engaged participants in walking or fitness activities during this period, encouraging donating for the cause based on every 10,000 steps taken daily or the equivalent calories burned.

Dubai – Aster Volunteers, the global CSR arm of Aster DM Healthcare, has successfully concluded the fourth edition of 'Heart2Heart Cares 2024,' a program spanning the GCC and India, aimed at promoting heart health and saving the lives of underprivileged children in need of heart surgery. On the evening of November 3, Zabeel Park came alive with a Mega Walk, engaging over 3,000 volunteers in a grand celebration to mark the completion of 10,000 steps, with the highest achievers in both the male and female categories being rewarded.

The Mega Walk was flagged off by Brigadier Ghalib Al-Ghafli, Director of Al Rifa’a Police Station, Dubai, and Mr. Shamsudheen Bin Muhidheen, Non-Executive Director of Aster DM Healthcare – India, who led the walk. The cultural show at the Amphy Theater of the park featured a variety of performances representing different countries and was inaugurated by HE Zahir Abdelfadil Agab, the Consul General of the Republic of Sudan in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, who released balloons and a white dove, symbolizing peace, freedom, and love.

Ms. Alisha Moopen, Managing Director & Group CEO, Aster DM Healthcare GCC, commented on the initiative, stating, "Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide, responsible for almost one-third of all deaths.[1] Tragically, this includes congenital heart disease (CHD), which affects a staggering 1.3 million children annually—or 10 children born every five minutes—many of whom lack access to life-saving treatment.[2] In India alone, over 200,000 children are born with CHD each year[3], and it is estimated that 25% of children born with CHD will require surgical intervention within their first year to survive.2 For families without the means to afford this critical care, these conditions often result in heartbreaking loss.

Through the 'Heart2Heart Cares 2024' initiative, Aster Volunteers is empowering communities to improve their fitness while supporting those in need. We are thrilled by the overwhelming participation this year, with over 23,000 registrants, marking a significant increase from last year. This collective effort will help provide heart surgeries for 50 underprivileged children, highlighting the incredible impact of community support."

The fourth edition of Aster Volunteers' Heart2Heart Cares witnessed exceptional engagement, with over 23,000 participants worldwide, predominantly from the Middle East & Africa and Asia Pacific regions. Over a month, they undertook the challenge of walking 10,000 steps daily, symbolizing their commitment to both personal health and the welfare of underprivileged children. Through this remarkable effort, Aster DM Foundation and its associated hospitals are fulfilling their pledge to provide life-saving pediatric cardiac surgeries for 50 children in need, free of charge. The initiative, which commenced on World Heart Day, ran for a month until November 3, 2024, encouraging individuals to register online at heart2heart.astervolunteers.com and commit to the walk.

The closing event at Zabeel Park was a vibrant and joyous occasion where Team Aster Volunteers organized a range of entertainment activities and performances to emphasize the importance of healthy living. Participants who completed the highest number of steps were recognized and awarded for their outstanding contributions.

About Aster Volunteers, the global CSR programme of Aster DM Healthcare

Aster Volunteers, the global corporate social responsibility initiative of Aster DM Healthcare, was launched on occasion of the company's 30th anniversary in 2017 and provides a platform which bridges the gap between people who would like to help with those in need. Driven by Aster DM Foundation, it focuses on various activities in healthcare, education, social empowerment, environmental sustainability, and disaster aid initiatives.  5.5 million+ lives have been touched by Aster Volunteers across various geographies engaging the registered volunteer force of more than 95,000 people and its associates as of October 2024.

About Aster DM Healthcare

Aster DM Healthcare Limited is one of the largest private healthcare service providers operating in GCC and in India. With an inherent emphasis on clinical excellence, we are one of the few entities in the world with a strong presence across primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary healthcare through our 35 hospitals, 134 clinics, 523 pharmacies* and 243 labs and patient experience centers in seven countries, including India. We have 29,595 dedicated staff including 3,634 doctors and 10,156 nurses across the geographies that we are present in, delivering a simple yet strong promise to our different stakeholders: “We’ll treat you well.” We reach out to all economic segments in the GCC states through our differentiated healthcare services across the “Aster”, “Medcare” and “Access” brands.

*Including 217 Pharmacies in India operated by Alfaone Retail Pharmacies Private Limited under brand license from Aster

For more information about us, please contact:
Lavanya Mandal                                                                                                   
Head of PR and Internal Communications                                          
Aster DM Healthcare
Email: lavanya.mandal@asterdmhealthcare.com

Udhayan Sasidharan Nair
Manager - PR & Communications
Aster DM Healthcare
Email: udhayan.nair@asterdmhealthcare.com

DISCLAIMER:

Certain statements in this document that are not historical facts are forward looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties like government actions, local, political or economic developments, technological risks, and many other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the relevant forward-looking statements. Aster DM Healthcare will not be in any way responsible for any action taken based on such statements and undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

[1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10809869/
[2] https://childrensheartlink.org/congenital-heart-disease-facts/
[3] https://www.indianpediatrics.net/dec2018/dec-1075-1082.htm