Philanthropy
Philanthropy
Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) is a birth condition involving abnormal development of the heart’s walls, valves, arteries, or veins. Known colloquially as Blue Baby Syndrome, it affects roughly nine in every 1,000 newborns and is one of the leading causes of infant mortality worldwide. Yet nearly 90% of affected children can be successfully treated if diagnosed early enough, sometimes even before birth.
The barrier is rarely medical. It is economic. Most families affected by CHD in India are poor, often unaware that such a condition exists, and entirely without the means to pursue treatment. A disease that is medically manageable becomes a death sentence simply because of circumstance.
Aishwarya Trust (https://www.aishwaryatrust.org/) was founded in March 2008 in Chennai, born from the personal loss of Chitra Viswanathan’s daughter, Aishwarya, to a congenital heart defect. That grief was channelled into something lasting by Chitra and her father, K Nagarajan: a charitable organisation dedicated to early detection and affordable treatment of CHD among underprivileged children across India.
The Trust’s comprehensive programme covers screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up review, walking families through every stage of care. Its medical work is led by Dr. K. R. Balakrishnan, a cardiac surgeon of international standing, credited with performing India’s first paediatric heart transplant and more than 16,000 cardiac surgeries across his career. He is joined by Dr. K. G. Suresh Rao, a specialist in cardiac critical care, transplantation, and congenital heart disease.
In 16 years, Aishwarya Trust has grown from a small act of remembrance into one of India’s most respected CHD-focused charities. The numbers tell only part of the story.
8,011 Surgeries
253 Transplants
2,19,358 Screenings
2,753 Camps
18 Years
These numbers represent children who would otherwise have gone undiagnosed and untreated – children who are now growing up, going to school, living full lives. Each surgery is, in the most literal sense, a life saved.
The Trust operates through a network of partner hospitals including Fortis Malar Hospital Chennai, MGM Healthcare, G. Kuppuswamy Naidu Memorial Hospital, and several government medical colleges and state health departments across Tamil Nadu. This blend of private expertise and public reach is what allows it to scale.
“
The cause of saving the lives of children with congenital heart defects is very dear to my heart. Having gone through the treatment of CHD with my child, I know the trauma of the families affected by it. Aishwarya Trust is doing commendable work in this direction to help children from economically vulnerable backgrounds to get access to the best available treatment in the country.
– AR Rahman
Entrust Family Office would be happy to connect you with the founders and team behind these initiatives, and support you in your philanthropic endeavours.
To see other social impact organizations connected to our ecosystem, please visit: https://www.entrustfamilyoffice.com/our-network/
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