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The Mater Hospital on Tuesday officially launched the Mater Heart Run event at the Kenyatta International Conventional Centre (KICC).
Speaking at the event, the Hospital Group CEO Dr Mary Ngui appealed to corporate firms and individuals to support the event through generous donations and by purchasing merchandise.
The hospital will concurrently conduct its annual athletic event in eleven counties in an initiative aimed at supporting children from underprivileged families who require heart surgeries.
The host counties for the upcoming event are Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Meru, Kakamega, Eldoret, Bomet, Machakos, Nyeri and Kericho.
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In attendance were beneficiaries, seven-year-old Andreas Juma from Mombasa County and 16-year-old Delight Njoki from Nairobi County.
The National Police Service (NPS) also graced the event.
The commission offered to provide security to ensure the occasion is without incident.
The commission encouraged Kenyans to donate towards the success of the event.
“Those interested in participating in any of the sporting events will be required to purchase a T-shirt from the organizers as a form of a donation to the fund,” the commission said.
The Mater Heart Run program began in 2002.
Before the run, a program to emphasize cardiac wellness called the Mater Cardiac Program was started in 1995.
The first open-heart surgery was performed in 1996.
The surgery emphasized the values of the Sisters of Mercy, which focus on compassion for all and seek to uplift the lives of the underprivileged in society.
In 2008, the Hospital started free cardiac outreach screening camps across the country.
Their aim was to screen for heart ailments and educate the community about acquired heart disease.
According to the Mater Hospital, over 3,000 heart procedures have been performed courtesy of the support from well-wishers. BY THE STAR