The battle for saving the heart of each child literally and figuratively is the focus of this year’s charity initiative "The Bulgarian Christmas - Give Hope to a Child in Need.” The sincere donations by thousands of Bulgarians can help children with congenital heart disorders and would facilitate early diagnosis and modern treatment.

The official start of the 2014/2015 campaign, under the auspices of President Rosen Plevneliev was given at a ceremony in the National Cardiology Hospital - one of the medical institutions that the campaign would help to. The money will be used for buying high-tech equipment, said the head of state. And more:

"Sympathy shown to suffering people makes us stronger, better and more productive citizens. A helping hand and good deeds give sense to one’s life. The Bulgarian Christmas supports volunteering and philanthropy. It achieves visible results. Therefore, as during its previous editions, a great number of people will support it in order to realize the noble purposes."

Each year about 3,500 children with congenital disorders are born in Bulgaria and 600-700 out of them have heart problems. Among them is now 23-year-old Dilyana Atanasova. She has a congenital heart disorder and went through two heart operations performed in the Children's Cardiology Clinic of the National Cardiology Hospital. One was done when she was a baby, and the other - 2 years ago, despite the lack of a special clinic for patients with congenital heart disorders over the age of 18 and insufficient funding from the National Health Insurance Fund. At the same time this top clinic is the second family to us because it is the only one in the country that gives a chance for life, says Dilyana and adds:

"My condition is not just a diagnosis, but my fate and a great number of children share it. We all believe that together we could win the battle - the battle for our hearts!"

The young patients of the cardiology hospital gave the President a souvenir in the form of a heart with a dedication written by Dilyana, which the head of state read.

"Only someone who has been trough real pain learns to live. Today I know how difficult it is to breathe, to climb stairs, to smile, to be good and to chase your dreams."

 Last year's 11th edition of the Bulgarian Christmas campaign was dedicated to children with visual and hearing impairments. Donations totaled over 1 million euro and helped a record number of children since the creation of the initiative - 524. A total of 30 hospitals across the country received top equipment costing over half a million euros. This Christmas we can improve the record and save children's hearts! They deserve it!

English: Alexander Markov