Hong Kong's Matilda Children's Foundation has announced a fundraising drive to raise HK$500,000 to help underprivileged children from Hong Kong and China who require life-changing surgery and have no other means of receiving care.
They will be kicking-off fundraising activities by holding a charity Christmas carol concert otoday, between 18:30 and 20:30. The aim of Carols by Candlelight is to raise HK$100,000.00 to help eleven disabled and sick children from an orphanage in Beijing to receive medical treatment that will improve the children's health and hopefully improve their chances of adoption.
Said Dr. John Ngan, urolgist and founding member of the Foundation: "In October 2005, a group of doctors from the Foundation, all volunteers, visited an orphanage in Beijing caring for sick and disabled babies. We were all moved to help. The children, range in age from 9 months to 2 years old. Many have spina bifida (meningomyelocele) and require surgery associated with this and urodynamics studies to assess renal and bladder function. Without surgery the children's kidneys will go into failure, and our main aim and concern is to prevent this happening and to keep the children healthy to give them a higher chance of adoption."
Donations will be used to buy the sutures, dressings, anesthetic gas and other medications necessary for surgery. The charity has no administration overheads and every dollar raised goes to the children. The Matilda International Hospital provides medical care free and all doctors have donated their time, expertise and care free of charge.
Carols by Candlelight will be held in the grounds of the Matilda International Hospital in Hong Kong and will feature carols sung by Kennedy School, Peak School Singers, Beacon Hill School, Hong Kong Academy, The Hong Kong Singers and Yew Chung School, as well as a 20 piece orchestra from Medart and bagpipes from Securicor. The event will also feature Father Christmas in his grotto, a wishing tree, mince pies, mulled wine and lots more.
