First Lady Jeannette Kagame joined the fundraising gala by Team Heart, for the first cardiac centre in Rwanda, an event that was held on Thursday night in Boston, USA.

The fundraiser, initiated by Team Heart, the non-profit medical organisation focused on bringing sustainable cardiac care to Rwanda and East Africa, was attended by a significant number of health professionals, scholars, corporate representatives, businessmen and women, students and members of Rwandan community in USA, former patients of Team Heart, among others.

At the event, First Lady Jeannette Kagame received the Humanitarian Award for her dedication to uplifting the lives of the most vulnerable populations, through various empowerment initiatives, including those spearheaded by her foundation, Imbuto, in the past 15 years.

This evening aimed at raising funds for the first cardiac care centre in Rwanda to support the Rwandan health sector, and provide appropriate care to people suffering from heart diseases, whether congenital, orcases of rheumatic heart disease, caused by an untreated strep throat.

In her remarks, Mrs. Kagame lauded the role of Team Heart among other different organisations and individuals who have been a part of Rwanda’s journey to rebuilding its institutions—specifically health sector—22 years after the Genocide against the Tutsi, which left the country in shambles.

"The fundraiser for the first cardiac centre in Rwanda is indeed an exciting moment, because it carries the potential of a great leap forward, for the Rwandan health sector, and that of the region,” she said.

"And when the power of healing meets the power of solidarity to give a new pulse to human hearts,” First Lady added that, "it is a moment well-worth rejoicing in.”

For the past nine years, highly skilled volunteers from the New England region of the United States, under the Team Heart have made trips to Rwanda to provide health screenings, life saving open-heart surgery and educational workshops for Rwandan medical caregivers, in treating Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD).

Rwanda currently does not have any cardiac surgeons nor does the country have a cardiac catheterisation laboratory. Through the event, Team Heart launched a public campaign to build the first-ever cardiac care center in the country for the people suffering from RHD.

The First Lady said that, such an initiative best suits the principle behind the government’s dedication to seeing communities living dignified lives, "in the best economic and health conditions.

"As a people that experienced apathy in the face of suffering, and the worst failure of humanity, losing all faith in international institutions twenty-two years ago, your actions truly stand as the kind that help restore faith in humanity. You help further prove that, after all, the philosophy of being ‘my brother’s keeper’ is still alive. 

"We are thankful to your organisation, for having joined in the efforts of the government of Rwanda, and its civil society, in helping address some of the most critical health issues, still faced in our land… Your work over the years is truly commendable and has saved the lives of many,” she said.

Indeed, the relevance of such issues as cardiovascular diseases cannot be downplayed, Mrs Kagame noted, adding that the cause for the fundraiser—also serve as a reminder that prevention, and treatment, of heart diseases, "will ensure that they do not become a major cause of premature death, and disabilities in Rwanda.”

First Lady added that, Rwanda remains as determined to address challenges facing the country’s health sector, by increasing training skills and education opportunities, while empowering communities with knowledge about health issues affecting them, encouraging prevention, and seeking medical care.

Indeed, these efforts have led to 90 per cent rate of women receiving prenatal care, increase of life expectancy by more than 20 years, since 1994, achieving universal vaccination, and more recently, the innovative approach to delivering blood and medical supplies in the region, through the use of drones, among others.

"Today, Rwanda is known for its stability, security and growing economy. We credit these achievements to the commitment of countless individuals, who spared no efforts in devising locally-designed programmes, and carefully adapted strategies, to answer crucial challenges.” Mrs Kagame added.

The event in Boston also helped bring to light other initiatives for medical relief, such as the Vivo Curore Foundation which provides transportation for children traveling to other countries to receive life saving cardiac surgery for congenital heart diseases, through which Sandrine Murengerantwali, a distinguished pianist and student in Montreal, who also suffered from a common heart disease early in life, and now uses her talent to give back to her community.

Present at this event was also Kelly Doran, from Mass Design, the architecture company behind Butaro Hospital, who showed the design for the new cardiac care centre, and explained that their work always take into consideration the economic, ecological, and educational impact they will have on the people the structure will serve. Mr. Doran also stated that for every $1 injected in this project, $.80 was going into the Rwandan economy.

The evening ended with a live auction, with various items among which were sports tickets, culinary experiences, art objects, including paintings donated by Inema Arts Centre, to help raise funds for this initiative.