ISSUE 11 / APRIL - Vodafone Fiji

EVERYONE CAN MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCEThe reality of a desperate heartOne of the key values that lead us at Vodafone is the Passion for the WorldAround Us. The cooperation between Vodafone and the Fiji College of GeneralPractitioner’s Children’s Heart Foundation is inspired by this important value.Vodafone Fiji, through the Vodafone ATH Fiji Foundation, supports surgeries forchildren with defective hearts.Recently a grandfather Mr Peter Tusoa Fong spoke on behalf of the manymothers whose babies have undergone heart operations in India through thedonations of the Vodafone ATH Fiji Foundation and the facilitation of the FijiCollege of General Practitioners. In his speech he spoke of the desperation of amother faced with a baby whose next heart beat could be its last. The candourand power of the feelings expressed in this speech affected us deeply and wefelt obliged to run much of the speech.Excerpts:I consider it a greatprivilege to be invited toexpress on behalf of thesemothers, their babies andall the family members,their very deep and sincereappreciation.And to all the kindheartedpeople who haveMr Fongcome to the rescue of theseour loved ones, our sons,our daughters and grandchildren, whom we loveso much.We all fi nd it very diffi cult in trying to fi nd wordsto put together in whatever language we speak tobest express how we feel deep down in our hearts.We went through a period of hopelessness anddiscouragement. We thought that was it. But todayyou have made us see the light at the end of thetunnel and we are so grateful indeed.It does not take much to imagine how life istaken for granted when everything is normal andnatural. There is no desperation. There is hardlyanyone who would think or take the trouble or whowants to be reminded and feel and count their heartbeats and to check the rising and falling of theirbreathing chest. And even when old age catchesup and their time on earth comes to an end, thatis very natural, accepted andtaken for granted. There is nodesperation.No one knows better thanthese mothers and those very close to the babies,the reality of a desperate heart. And no one knowsbetter than these mothers on how real and howprecious life is.Ask them and they will tell how they wouldfasten their eyes to see the rise and fall of theirbaby’s chest. They would tell you also theirdesperate but tender search for the heart beat onthe baby’s wrist. Oh! How they long very much tohear the loud clear burstof a healthy baby cry.It will be the loveliestmelody to their ears.They know deepdown in their heart, butthey may not be able toput words together toexpress how they valueand treasure the realityof the preciousness ofthe God-given life. This isthe life they are prayingfor and looking forwardto, to be a reality in theirbaby’s life when theirGroup2007200820092010First GroupSecond GroupThird GroupFirst GroupSecond GroupFirst GroupSecond GroupFirst GroupSecond GroupTop: Mothers with babies.babies come through their heart surgery in India.We shall not forget the hands and the heartthat was extended to meet ours and it shall be ourprayer that these babies, when they grow up intomanhood and womanhood, that they may alwaysremember how life was restored to them throughthe love of God in the hearts of these kind donors,and that they may likewise extend their hands tomake a difference in some babies who may needthe same assistance.DateEvacuated20/7/073/10/07Nov 2007March 20087/7/0816/8/0920/10/0924/1/1027/2/10No. ofPatients655373444CummulativeTotal61116192629333741Anyone who gets involved in seeing off or receiving these children cannot remain unaffected. Vodafoneemployees who welcomed the latest recipients of heart surgery at Nadi International Airport early on aSunday morning had this to say of their experience:For me, this isa very rewardingexperience. I nevertire of being part ofthis - true, sometimes,the time factor ischallenging, but thegratitude we get fromthe children and their parents reallymakes it worthwhile.I am always proud to be there as partof Vodafone ATH to welcome the childrenand their parents back. One just has to seetheir faces with that shy smile and humilityto understand. The relief of having gonethrough the experience and beating it isalways so evident. But it’s their gratitudethat really makes me smile because youknow - we are doing something right!Una Vaivo“The experience offeeling someone else’s sjoyand happiness swas something I feltand saw so closelyonSunday Morning.The fulfi llmentand satisfaction ofgiving back to the community, makingsomeone’s life better, the joy of havingtheir lifeline enhanced was somethingthat was depicted through the tearsstreaming down the faces of the mothersof these children.I realised fi rst-hand the differenceVodafone ATH Fiji Foundation had madein the lives of these children...I was mostproud of the commitment towards thecommunity that Vodafone has.”Alamgeer ShahI would say that Iwas overjoyed and itwas quite emotionaltosee the childrenreunite with theirfamilies after thetreatment. I felt soproud knowing that twe, Vodafone were able to help thesechildren in times of their need and bringsmiles to their faces.The appreciation of tears from thefamily members showed their gratitudetowards Vodafone’s efforts to help theneedy.I will always cherish these momentsas it will always remind me the differenceVodafone ATH Foundation is bringing topeoples life”.Eileen KumkeeThere was intrue beauty on thatSunday morning, andcourage was seenon their faces, theirsmiles and the tears intheir eyes. Even everyeffort to express theirhappiness is the harmony and dthe reliefof having gone through the experienceand the virtue that rest upon thechildren and the parents. An effort madefor the happiness of others lifts us aboveourselvesI am always proud to participatewith Vodafone ATH Fiji Foundation towelcome the children and their parentsback from surgeries.Iliesa Volau6 l www.vodafone.com.fj/foundation