Allianz Supports Children Survivors of Heart Disease
Allianz Philippines, the Philippine Heart
Association (PHA), and the Philippine Society of Pediatric Cardiology (PSPC)
recently staged the 13th edition of Camp Braveheart at the Manila Ocean Park
with the theme, “The Hero Within.”
Conceptualized in 2007, Camp Braveheart seeks
to help post-surgical children with heart diseases to transition from a life of
limited activity and exposure to one with vision, hope, and fruitful
experience.
Dr. Maricel Regino, chairperson of the
Council on Congenital Heart Disease, said that Camp Braveheart is a program
that seeks to encourage children who were born with heart disease and underwent
surgery to live a normal life like other kids.
“They serve as inspiration to others who want
to live a good life after surgery,” she said during the opening of Camp
Braveheart.
Dr. Regino was joined in the event by Dr.
Aurelia G. Leus, vice president of the PHA; Dr. Ninfa J. Villanueva, president
of the PSPC; and Gino Riola, senior
vice president and head of Market Management Center of Excellence (MM COE) of
Allianz Asia.
This is the second
year that Allianz Philippines has partnered with the PHA, and Camp Braveheart
is just one of projects that it is supporting.
“We at Allianz believe in paying it back in
the communities we operate in. Camp Braveheart is among the causes we are
privileged to contribute to. It was personally a heartwarming
experience for me to be surrounded by brave and happy children cared for by
loving families and doctors.
Their smiles and excitement were certainly contagious,” Riola said.
For this year’s celebration of the Heart
Month, Allianz Philippines has been declared the PHA’s official life insurance
partner.
“The PHA has
advocacies that resonate with our corporate social responsibility aspirations
in the Philippines. We are privileged to be their partner in promoting a
healthy lifestyle among Filipinos,” Riola added.
Among the children who took part in Camp
Braveheart were three-year-old Lilian Lucy Espiritu, who has been diagnosed
with ventricular septal defect, and fellow three-year-old Piel Akron, who has
been diagnosed with critical pulmonary stenosis.
“We are fortunate to have been invited to
Camp Braveheart. I hope that they would continue activities like this for
post-operation kids,” Lilian’s mom, Locelyn, said.
She added that they are already looking
forward to next year’s Camp Braveheart.
Piel’s mom, MJ, is likewise thankful for the
event as it introduced her to other parents with children that have been
diagnosed with heart disease. They were encouraged to join Camp Braveheart by
Piel’s doctor, Dr. Jose Jonas Del Rosario of the Philippine Children’s Medical
Center (PCMC) and Philippine General Hospital (PGH).
“As parents, we have to
learn how to let go for them to learn on their own. I wish that Piel
would continue to get well so he won’t undergo anymore procedures,” MJ added.
Staying true to its theme this year, Camp
Braveheart celebrated the children who, despite their young age, continue to
show strength in the face of difficulties.
This year’s activities included an Oceanarium
tour, Sea Lion Show, Shark & Ray Dry Encounter, Creepy Crawlies, games, and
face painting, which the children all thoroughly enjoyed.
Locelyn, MJ, and their fellow parents also
had a fun time participating in the financial literacy exercise conducted by Allianz Philippines volunteer employees
and learning about Cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR), too. They also attended a lecture on
the 52100 Campaign, which encourages people to lead a healthy lifestyle by
having five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, having only two hours of
screen time, doing an hour of physical activity, avoiding sugary and sweetened
beverages, and saying no to both smoking and secondhand smoking.
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