“To Heal a Child’s Heart” is on YouTube

One of the nice benefits of being involved with the Dr.Mani Children Heart Foundation is the fantastic and fascinating people I have come in contact with, got to know well and become close friends.

Ian del Carmen is one of them. And thanks to his skill and effort, the congenital heart defects documentary movie showcasing the work of the Foundation and the nature of the problems we face is now available for the world to view – on YouTube.

Filming of the short 8 minute documentary began in February 2008. A talented young film director, Sathianathan, was the cornerstone of a project that grew far beyond what it was originally planned to be.

Sakthi, as he is fondly called by friends, travelled half-way around the state, going to the farthest corners to visit the children who had undergone heart surgery so that he could film them in their native environment. The movie depicts life in the heart of rural South India, where goats are tethered to thresholds, and chillies or pulses spread out to dry in a courtyard.

Against this backdrop, the heart-rending stories of parents torn by the terrible pain of congenital heart disease tell of their struggles – and how kind, generous donors like you have helped save their children from a cruel fate.

The 8 minute documentary film may make you cry as you share their pain, and then smile in happiness at the thought of the impact your tiny, selfless act can make across the world.

I owe Ian del Carmen a huge thank you for helping make it possible. Not only that, Ian has done another innovative thing that has already raised over $250 for funding a child’s heart operation.

He created a free tool which can convert any type of document into a PDF. You can see it in action at FreePDF.org

The innovative twist he put on this is to offer upgrades to the professional version – in return for any donation to the Dr.Mani Children Heart Foundation.

In the week this offer has been in effect, 19 people have contributed between $5 and $75 – and I’m sure this will grow even bigger over time… especially when YOU help spread the word by telling your friends

So, here’s where you can watch the CHD movie, “To Heal a Child’s Heart” on YouTube. There are 2 parts to the movie – we had to split it for technical reasons.

You can even view a higher resolution version on disc, if you like. I have a limited set of DVDs printed and will ship out a copy if you’ll cover the $5 it costs us to print, pack and mail it to you. If you’d like that, please contact me with your postal address and I’ll send you more information.

But first, take a look at these videos on YouTube…

To Heal a Child’s Heart – Part 1

To Heal a Child’s Heart – Part 2

Oh, and please post a comment sharing your thoughts.