GG2574120 Empowering Little Hearts Equipping the Pediatric Cardiac Care Center

When a Child’s Heart Waits Too Long, Hope Begins to Fade. Rotary Is Helping Save Little Lives Across Sri Lanka

Partnering Rotary 4 Little Hearts Project (GG2571512)

Impact Snapshot

USD 245,642 → Neonatal ventilators, infant incubators, monitors, phototherapy units & critical neonatal care equipment → Expanding life-saving treatment access for children born with congenital heart disease across Sri Lanka

A Child Shouldn’t Have to Wait for Heart Surgery to Survive

Every year in Sri Lanka, nearly 3,000 babies are born with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD).

For many families, the diagnosis comes without warning.
A newborn struggling to breathe.
A mother hearing the words “urgent surgery.”
Parents are desperately searching for answers while racing against time.

Yet the reality is heartbreaking.

Only around 1,500 of these children currently receive the life-saving surgery they urgently need. The remaining children often face delayed treatment, worsening conditions, or the devastating possibility of losing their fight before help arrives. 

At the centre of this crisis stands one hospital carrying an overwhelming burden, Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH), Sri Lanka’s largest children’s hospital and one of the most critical paediatric cardiac centres in South Asia.

The waiting lists grew.
The pressure increased.
And families across Sri Lanka continued living with uncertainty.

That is where Rotary stepped forward.

The Problem: When Healthcare Capacity Cannot Keep Up With Need

For years, Lady Ridgeway Hospital has remained the primary referral centre for children requiring specialised cardiac treatment.

But demand for treatment has continued to exceed capacity.

The Rotary Global Grant application identified several urgent challenges:

• Long waiting periods for surgeries 

• Limited neonatal intensive care capacity 

• Shortages in critical life-saving equipment 

• Families forced into emotional and financial distress 

• Increased pressure on already stretched paediatric cardiac teams 

Many children required immediate intervention, yet a lack of modern medical technology constrained the hospital’s ability to expand services. 

For vulnerable families, especially those travelling from distant regions of Sri Lanka, accessing timely treatment became an emotional and financial battle.

And when it comes to congenital heart disease, delays can be fatal.

The Solution  Rotary Global Grant GG2571512

Through Rotary Global Grant GG2571512  Partnering Rotary 4 Little Hearts Project, Rotarians across multiple countries united to strengthen critical neonatal and paediatric cardiac care capacity at Lady Ridgeway Hospital. 

With a total project value of USD 245,642, the project delivers vital equipment designed to improve surgical readiness, neonatal care, and recovery outcomes for children requiring urgent cardiac intervention.

Equipment Delivered Includes:

• 3 Neonatal Ventilators 

• 4 Multiparameter Monitors 

• 5 Infant Incubators 

• Infant Radiant Warmer with Resuscitation Unit 

• 25 Syringe Pumps 

• 4 Phototherapy Units 

• Clinical support and installation expertise 

These investments directly strengthen the hospital’s ability to stabilise critically ill infants, improve post-operative care, and increase the number of children who can safely receive treatment.

Most importantly, it gives doctors more capacity to save lives.

Rotary Areas of Focus

This project aligns directly with Rotary’s Areas of Focus:

• Disease Prevention and Treatment 

• Maternal and Child Health 

The initiative supports improved rehabilitation and treatment outcomes while helping reduce mortality and morbidity among children under five living with congenital heart disease. 

At the Centre of This Story Are Families

Behind every monitor and ventilator is a child.
Behind every incubator is a parent praying for another day.

The project was built not just around equipment but around people.

Community consultations conducted during the project planning phase revealed the immense emotional and financial burden families faced while trying to access specialised CHD treatment. 

Many families travelled long distances to Colombo.
Many struggled to afford accommodation and transport.
Some patients had delayed treatment because they had no other option.

This project helps reduce those barriers by strengthening the hospital’s ability to provide timely intervention where it matters most.

And for many parents, faster treatment means something priceless:

Hope.

Beyond the Immediate Impact: Building a Stronger Paediatric Cardiac System

The impact of this project extends far beyond individual surgeries.

By strengthening infrastructure at Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Rotary is helping Sri Lanka build a more resilient paediatric cardiac care system capable of responding to growing demand.

Expected long-term outcomes include:

• Reduced waiting times for surgery 

• Improved neonatal recovery outcomes 

• Better monitoring and stabilisation of critically ill infants 

• Increased treatment capacity for congenital heart disease patients 

• Stronger support systems for vulnerable families 

The project also includes awareness and outreach initiatives to improve public understanding of congenital heart disease and available treatment pathways. 

Community-Driven and Sustainable

Sustainability was built into the project from the beginning.

The Ministry of Health and Lady Ridgeway Hospital are committed to supporting long-term operation and maintenance, while vendors provide training and technical support to hospital staff. 

The hospital itself will continue to operate and maintain the equipment as part of Sri Lanka’s public healthcare system.

This ensures the project creates impact not just today but for years to come.

The Power of Rotary Collaboration

The Partnering Rotary 4 Little Hearts Project represents the very best of global Rotary collaboration.

Host Sponsor

• Rotary Club of Colombo West (District 3220) 

International Sponsor

• Rotary E-Club of Greater Sydney (District 9685) 

Supporting Rotary Clubs & Districts

• Districts 3310, 3203, 3220 & 9685 

• Rotary Clubs across Sri Lanka, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Canada 

This partnership demonstrates how Rotary’s global network can unite communities, expertise, and resources to solve urgent healthcare challenges that no single organisation could address alone.

Creating Measurable Impact

The project’s monitoring and evaluation framework includes:

• Increased access to local healthcare facilities 

• Improved quality of healthcare services 

• Enhanced treatment access for children under five 

• Training outcomes for medical professionals 

• Long-term patient care monitoring 

The project is expected to benefit hundreds of children and families annually while strengthening one of Sri Lanka’s most important paediatric healthcare institutions.

A Future Where More Little Hearts Keep Beating

Rotary’s work is often measured in equipment delivered, grants approved, or funds raised.

But the true impact of this project will be measured differently.

Birthdays are celebrated.
In children returning home healthy.
In parents' hearing the words:
“Your child is going to be okay.”

The Partnering Rotary 4 Little Hearts Project is more than a healthcare initiative.

It is a promise
that no child should lose their future simply because access to care arrived too late.