Key to a happier life is the heart of a child

The Heart and Stroke Foundation SA (HSF) will host a high-profile auction at Hyde Park on Friday 13 February 2015, where top South African celebrities will be in attendance bidding for prized items and experiences. Its aim is to strengthen current programmes and expand them to reach even more children and parents.

"Having been HSF ambassador for four years now, I'm impressed with the creativity of the initiatives such as #HaveHeart and the results yielded from the awareness and donations. It's rewarding hearing about the positive, tangible change being effected in the lives of ordinary South Africans faced with heart disease and stroke, which ultimately serves our goal; to help save lives," says Gareth Cliff, radio, and TV presenter.

Dr Vash Mungal-Singh, CEO of HSF says, "South African children need our help. Many South African children suffer from inherited heart problems and heart disease caused by infections. Early detection, awareness and treatment are critical, but many children do not have access to appropriate care.

"While some of our children are affected by heart disease through factors that are out of their control, many more are adopting unhealthy habits that place them at risk at an earlier age for obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.

"Our children are particularly vulnerable and are easily influenced by our unhealthy environment. The result is shocking, with up to 23% of children in South Africa being overweight or obese, thus increasing their risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes from a younger age. A child's risk can begin even before birth, during foetal development, and increases further during childhood with exposure to unhealthy diets, lack of exercise and smoking."

Through the campaign, the HSF would also like to encourage the South African public to take stock of their own lifestyles and incorporate the following tips to get them on the road to a healthy lifestyle:

• Eat healthy
  
• Get moving
  
• Quit smoking
  
• Manage stress

The South African public can help raise funds for children faced with heart diseases by dressing in red and donating R20 to save a child's heart by SMSing #HaveHeart to 40306. People can also log onto www.heartfoundation.co.za or www.haveheart.co.za to find out more about the campaign.