A Columbus fundraiser aims to raise $150,000 this weekend to expand a children's heart hospital in Pakistan and help keep its care affordable for families.
The Pakistan Children’s Heart Foundation North America (PCHFNA) will hold its annual local fundraiser from 1 to 5 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Bob Crane Community Center, 3200 Tremont Road in Upper Arlington. Admission is free, and former Pakistani cricket stars Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis are expected to attend, according to an event flyer.
Imran Malik, who helps lead the foundation’s Columbus chapter, said local supporters have held fundraisers since 2022. The money raised Sept. 27 will support a hospital in Lahore, Pakistan, that is already treating children but still needs additional operating
rooms and other facilities. Donations also help sustain its care, which Malik said is provided at little or no cost to most families.
Why PCHFNA is raising money in Columbus
The foundation raises money for children with congenital heart disease and for the Children’s Heart Hospital and Research Institute in Lahore. Its website states it has supported more than 1,000 heart procedures and also works to train medical professionals and increase awareness of the condition.
For Malik’s wife, Atifa Malik, the project has a personal connection. She grew up in Lahore before moving to the United States at age 12. Learning how difficult it can be for families there to find and afford specialized heart care made her want to help.
"As a parent," she said, "you want to do everything in your power to be able to help your child."
Dr. Sarah Khan, a pediatric anesthesiologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital who has consulted on the project, said some congenital heart conditions require treatment within days of birth. Others may allow a child to live for years before causing serious complications.
"These kids are going to end up in heart failure," Khan said of some children whose heart defects go untreated. "They're being robbed of their entire childhood."
Khan recalled meeting a patient in Lahore who had traveled about eight hours for heart surgery at age 20. At Nationwide Children’s, Khan said, a child with his condition would typically have had the procedure at 4 or 5 months old.
Specialized heart care requires trained teams as well as equipment, Khan said. The foundation's work includes training medical professionals who could eventually bring that care to other parts of Pakistan and the rest of the world.
Malik said the Columbus event is close to capacity, but organizers will try to accommodate anyone interested in attending. Those who cannot attend can learn more or donate through the foundation’s website.
Atifa Malik said she hopes the effort gives more families the chance to see their children grow up.
"I am in a position – being in the U.S. – to help somebody save a life and give a child a future that they may not have had," she said. "That's what drives me."
Trending reporter Amani Bayo can be reached at abayo@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus fundraiser to support children's heart care in Pakistan
