The Malta Institute of Accountants will be holding its annual social event for its Members on Wednesday 19th June 2019. In line with previous occasions, this year’s event will consist of a stand-up reception with entertainment to benefit a noble purpose. In the run-up to the event, you can make your online donation to Beating Hearts Malta (BHM) to support our cause.
BHM is an independent non-profit making organisation for adults and children born with Congenital Hearts Defects (CHDs). CHDs are the most common malformation present at birth. About eight out of 1000 people (0.8%) are affected, and this figure is about the same all over the world. While the individual heart defect may be insignificant and disappear over time, it may also be extremely serious and hence life-threatening.
BHM was founded in December 2011 with its main objective being to provide support and encouragement for all adults and children with CHD, their partners and families in Malta through sharing personal experience and knowledge as well as, to promote awareness and educate social care professionals, employers, insurers and the general public about the existence and the needs of people with CHD.
Fundraising is fundamental to our Association in order to develop it further and to have it more widespread. Most of the funds raised are used for the purchase or co-funding of new and more sophisticated equipment for the Cardiology Department at Mater Dei Hospital. As of the end of 2018, we have also started to offer a number of bursaries to help healthcare professionals attend specific conferences or training courses related to paediatric and adult cardiology. To date, BHM has purchased a refurbished echocardiography machine (€50,000), co-funded a new foetal echo probe (€8,000) and a cardiopulmonary exercise testing machine (€35,000) and more recently placed an order for a refurbished portable echocardiography Machine (€30,000).
Our latest, and by far the most ambitious, fundraising project is aimed at co-funding a dedicated cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine. This machine uses a magnetic field (and hence no X-rays) to obtain images of the heart and great vessels in great detail. It also allows heart specialists to get a better understanding of the heart’s pumping function, the function of the heart’s various valves, the presence of any scar tissue within the heart and to establish the efficiency of the heart muscle’s blood supply. Because much of this information cannot be obtained on an echocardiogram, cardiac MRI has become a must for many CHD patients both before and after surgery. This will definitely be the highest target to date and therefore we aim to raise the funds through various channels.
One of the channels is a series of photography exhibitions, which will be held comparing various locations. These will be themed “A Tale of Two Cities” and will compare, for example, Valletta with Manhattan, and Manchester (as a canal city) with Malta’s Grand Harbour area. MIA will have a sneak preview, a mini exhibition entitled “The Shape of Things to Come”: eight prints from these two exhibitions will be available for sale. These are limited edition prints (€120 each), on Dibond (aluminum, professional photography quality), 70cm wide/long.
Should you wish to donate to our cause, please feel free to buy any of the prints which will be exhibited on the evening of the event or otherwise simply make a donation through any of the following channels. Receipts for online donations will be posted following the MIA Members’ Social event.
If Bank transfer is used please add the hashtag #MIA and your ID Card number on the transfer narrative/description.
BOV IBAN: MT70VALL22013000000040020749864 – Beating Hearts Malta
SWIFT CODE: VALLMTMT
Alternatively: Cheque payment to Beating Hearts Malta c/o Souris, Triq Esprit Barthet, Madliena, SWQ 1507
THANK YOU – YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED!