Foundation raises $85,000 for children with heart disease

The Music for Heart Foundation gala on May 4 at The Canyon in Agoura Hills exceeded the expectations of organizers. The themed dinner, dance and auction raised more than $85,000 to help save the lives of children who suffer from congenital heart disease.

Brenda Small, founder of the organization, said the event was an "enormous success."

The funds will be used to help provide lifesaving heart surgery to children who live in impoverished countries and suffer from congenital heart disease.

Without medical intervention, the disease is considered a death sentence for children, said Small, who also founded the Delaney Kate Heart Fund, named for her daughter who required heart surgery as an infant.

Fundraising and fun meshed well at the annual event. The theme, "The Beat Goes On," gave attendees the opportunity to enjoy live music from the 1960s, Small said.

"The raffle area was a hit with both parents and their children," Small said. Raffle prizes included Webkinz, (a popular line of stuffed animals), gift certificates for fine dining, family getaways, and trips to Disneyland and Mammoth.

During the auction later in the evening, guests bid on poster-sized photos of children in need of corrective heart surgery.

"As each poster was raised, bid paddles were also raised to fund the lifesaving surgery for each of these children," Small said. "It was an incredibly moving experience."

On May 5, the Music for Heart volunteer team traveled to El Salvador, where they teamed up with Heart Care International and participated in a medical mission.

"Miraculously, 54 children who were nearly out of time were given the gift of life through corrective heart surgery," Small said. The Heart Care International team continued their training program for medical professionals in El Salvador.

To date, the Music For Heart Foundation- in conjunction with the support of donors, sponsors, the "Gift of Life" program and Rotary International's matching grants program- has helped save the lives of 75 children.

Thirteen-month-old Kimberly Valencia Turcios from Honduras was the 75th child helped by the foundation. She underwent a successful surgery at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital.

"We are grateful to this wonderful medical facility and its medical professionals for their generosity in saving this child's life," Small said.

Music for Heart volunteers plan to return to El Salvador in October and three times in 2009 to partner with Heart Care International. Small said there is only one children's hospital in El Salvador, but with the foundation's help the lives of more children can be saved. The trips will be funded by the proceeds from the 2008 gala and other upcoming events.

Small expressed gratitude to volunteers who contributed to the successful event, including the blanket ministry at Calvary Church. Members of the blanket ministry sew blankets and hospital gowns for children who received the surgery during the May 2008 mission, Small said.

"Due to the extreme shortage of these items in the hospital, both nurses and patients were very happy to receive these," Small said. The Music for Heart Foundation is looking for fabric donations so the project can continue.

The Music for Heart Foundation is an affiliate of Gift of Life International and is also the international project for the Rotary Club of Agoura Hills/Oak Park.

For more information, visit www.musicforheart.org, e-mail info@musicforheart.org or call Brenda Small at (818) 625-7402.