Teddy Bear Care

What does Heart to Heart do? We are a group of Shanghai volunteers who aid disadvantaged Chinese children in need of open heart surgery. We do this by facilitating play sessions, collecting and distributing clothing, toiletries and toys to the children and their communities. What makes a child eligible? Children who have a congenital heart defect and come from a rural family, with no health insurance, who cannot raise the needed funds for the surgery, qualify. We average two new admissions per week. What is the average cost of these surgeries? They average around ￥25,000 per child. Wow, how do you raise these funds? Our first surgery sponsorships were raised between our own volunteers and other groups. We realized this process was too slow and decided to launch our Heart Bear sales late in 2005, which have proven to be extremely popular. Heart Bears? Our Heart Bears are a fund-raising and awareness aspect of our community outreach work. We purchase undressed bears from a factory and then our volunteers knit cardigans, then add buttons, the symbolic red heart and more to the bears to transform them into Heart Bears. We name bears after children that we've already sponsored for surgery, with the tag-line, "A good doctor repaired my heart and now I can walk to school," as this best encapsulates the impact that a heart surgery has on these needy children. Where can we get one? They're sold at local expatriate bazaars and through some of our volunteers. Country Holidays, Hu & Hu Furniture and Body & Soul also stock them. If we wanted to help make a Heart Bear, could we? Sure. The expat population is continually waxing and waning and we are always in need of Heart Bear assemblers and Helping Hands volunteers to assist with play sessions for hospitalised children or to act as liaisons to schools and other organizations. Registration forms can be found on our website.

DETAILS

What: Heart to Heart
Email: christinecullen@h2hsh.net
Web: www.heart2heartshanghai.net