Two of Israel’s top non-governmental humanitarian organizations have come together this Chanukkah to provide urgently needed, life-saving treatment to 40 children from Ethiopia, Zambia, Burundi, Zanzibar, Somaliland, South Sudan and the Palestinian Authority/Gaza, and give them their innocence and childhood back. The children, who have congenital heart conditions, were brought to Israel to be treated by Save a Child’s Heart at the Sylvan Adams Children’s Hospital at Wolfson Medical Center.
This collaboration, between Make a Wish Israel and Save a Child’s Heart, has been helping children from around the world for the past 10 years, and together the two organizations provided lifesaving care and improved the overall health, both mentally and physically, for more than 3,000 children.
This week the Make-A-Wish Israel team came to the Save a Child’s Heart children’s home in Holon, and organized a holiday party for the children. Over the 10 year period Make-A-Wish has provided Save a Child’s Heart with computers, built-in closets and living room furniture to make the center feel like a home.
Tamar Shapira, Save a Child’s Heart deputy director: “We are incredibly grateful for this collaboration with Make a Wish Israel who generously fulfill wishes of the Save a Child’s Heart children while donating games, clothing and activities that translates to their health."
Denise Bar-Aharon, Co-Founder and CEO of Make-A-Wish Israel: “The moment I realized that children at Save a Child’s Heart fell into our mission of reaching every eligible child in Israel being treated with a life threatening illness, I wanted to partner with them and make more children smile and feel like children again. I thank them for giving myself and my team the opportunity!”