Heartbeat 2012: 200 new patients to be treated

May 30, 2012 - PRLog -- Over 200 more children with heart disease will be saved by Heartbeat as a result of funds raised from the fourth consecutive annual Heartbeat concert and gala dinner held at Casino du Liban last Saturday (May 5). Since it was founded, Heartbeat has managed to save more than 1,000 children by securing timely surgical and medical intervention for them.

This year’s gala dinner was held in partnership with Aïshti and included a one-hour musical performance. The theme of the concert was ‘The Eighties: A flashback to a memorable decade’. The show included favorite English, French, and Latino songs, which energized the endless nights of disco and dance. The show was put on by members of the association, who include surgeons, doctors, medical students, businesspeople, and musicians. The musical performance was organized by the new production group BIG TIME.

Renowned adventurer and mountain climber Maxime Chaya was the master of ceremonies. French ballerina Marie Agnes Gillot, “Danseuse Étoile” at the Opéra de Paris, made a cameo appearance. She is also goodwill ambassador for La Chaine de l’Espoir, the international organization Heartbeat is affiliated with.

Aaron Young, one of the most regarded artists of his generation, flew in especially from New York to attend the evening and to donate a unique artwork to the association: two beautiful red plated brass panels covered with arabesques of burnt rubber and motor oil.

The evening began with an outdoor fashion show organized by Aïshti that showcased their latest spring/summer 2012 collections from the world’s top designers. It ended with an auction of exclusive items, which was followed by a raffle of valuable gifts from Aïshti, 460 Multimedia, Sylvie Saliba, Christian Bonja, and the photographer Elie Bekhazi.

The auction, conducted by auctioneers from Christie’s, featured: an Elie Saab evening dress especially designed for the Heartbeat event, a painting by American artist Aaron Young, a Ford Mustang, a limited-series Jaeger-LeCoultre duometre watch, a Fendi Peekaboo handbag, a limited-edition Balenciaga crocodile handbag, and a pair of ruby and diamond earrings by Vivianne Debbas.

The Heartbeat gala dinner attracted around 600 high profile guests, among which were: Lebanon’s first lady, Mrs. Wafaa’ Sleiman, Mrs. Leila el Solh, Princess Ghida Talal of Jordan, Prof. Alain Deloche, president of La Chaine de L’Espoir, Mrs. Rose Choueiri, and other business people, political figures, and socialites.

The musical troupe, now in its seventh year, is at the heart of the association’s work. Through its performances funds are raised so that no child suffering from heart disease is left behind without treatment. The troupe also held three longer performances of the concert at the Theatre of Casino du Liban on May 11, 12, and 13.

Surgical interventions are performed by volunteer surgeons from Hotel-Dieu de France. Heartbeat believes that financial constraints should never be an obstacle to treating children with heart disease. Heartbeat has no administrative overheads; as such every dollar donated goes directly to providing children with medical treatment. Fifty volunteers run the association.

Heartbeat is proud to count the Al Waleed Bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation as its main partner and Bank Audi among its major sponsors.

For information:
- http://heartbeat-lb.org
- http://facebook.com/heartbeatLB
- http://youtube.com/heartbeatLB

For donations:
- Heartbeat / Bank Audi, Sofil Branch: Account No. 325179 / IBAN: LB49 0056 0003 2517 9462 0020 0902
- Heartbeat / BLC Bank, Adlieh Branch: Account No. 1-00342023 / IBAN: LB96 0011 0000 0000 1001 0034 2023