There are two types of people: Those who like Valentine’s Day and those who don’t. While many students here at the University are getting ready to surprise their sweethearts with gifts, others feel that the meaning of Valentine’s Day has been lost in consumerism.
Well, I think that Valentine’s Day still shines as a time when people make the extra effort to share and make others feel good. You don’t have to give fancy candy or jewelry. There are other options to consider and one you should definitely know about. This year on campus, you could Save a Child’s Heart.
In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, Shalom FIU is hosting “We Heart Your Hearts,” a student-run global campaign to raise money for 3 children who need cardiac surgery. The Children, Muaz (age 3) from Ethiopia, Seba (8 months) a Palestinian from Gaza, and Yaa (age 1) from Ghana are all suffering from congenital heart disease.
The international humanitarian organization, Save a Child’s Heart, is working on bringing these children to the Wolfson Medical Center in Israel where they will receive free medical treatment and life-saving surgeries.
As an international university, I think it is important for the University community to support SACH. With students from all over the world, we have the power to extend a helping hand on a global level, and in my opinion we have the responsibility to do so.
The mission of Save a Child’s Heart is to improve the quality of medical care for children in developing countries who suffer from heart disease and to create centers for competence in these countries. SACH has treated more than 2,500 children from over 40 countries where adequate medical care is unavailable.
According to its website, 40 percent of the children who underwent cardiac surgeries are from Africa, 49 percent are from the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, Iraq and Morocco, 4 percent are from Eastern Europe and the Americas and 7 percent are from Asia.
Cupcakes and heart shaped cards will be given away on Valentine’s Day from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. outside the Graham Center Main Entrance to raise awareness for the cause. The goal of the “We Heart Your Hearts” campaign is to raise the $30,000 needed to give these children a second chance at life.
Because the surgeons associated with SACH do not work for profit, the costs are low and the funds are used to cover transportation to Israel and expenses related to treatment. SACH is completely funded by private donors.
I ask the campus community to show their hearts and their love for Muaz, Seba, and Yaa this Valentine’s Day and prove to the cynics that this day is still about love.
If you would like to help Save a Child’s Heart, send a message to shalom.fiu@gmail.com or visit the Shalom FIU orgsync page. For more information about SACH go to saveachildsheart.org
-FIU Shalom
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