OUR STORY
TIMELINE OF HAHF
OUR HISTORY (Timeline – Visual representation)
Overview of the Foundation's Beginnings
The Have A Heart Foundation's journey is a testament to the power of compassion, determination, and the unwavering commitment to make a positive impact on the lives of those in need. Our history is a story of evolution from humble beginnings to becoming a beacon of hope in the realm of heart health.
The Birth of Seva Free Clinic (1999)
Our story began in the year 1999 when we established the Seva Free Clinic, a modest outpatient clinical service located in a community that was home to the poor and underprivileged. The clinic was not just a medical facility; it was a symbol of hope for those who had nowhere else to turn. At Seva Free Clinic, we offered a range of essential services to our patients, including free medical consultations, nursing care, counseling, and even access to life-saving medications.
Pioneering HIV Treatment (1999 - 2015)
During its early years, Seva Free Clinic played a pivotal role in the fight against HIV/AIDS. It quickly gained recognition as one of the charitable centers with the highest number of people accessing services for HIV in the region. Our dedicated healthcare professionals worked tirelessly to provide support, treatment, and counselling to individuals living with HIV. Moreover, we pioneered treatment strategies aimed at preventing HIV transmission from infected mothers to their new-borns, an initiative that reflected our unwavering commitment to saving lives.
Transition to Heart Surgeries
As we continued to serve our community, we realized that there was an urgent and unmet need for affordable heart surgeries, particularly among those who were economically disadvantaged. In India, where a significant portion of the population lives below the poverty line, the cost of heart surgeries was often insurmountable. Families faced the heart-wrenching choice of selling their possessions or even their homes to save the life of a family member. Many could not even afford the initial medical check-up, resigning themselves to living with heart conditions and facing premature death.
Becoming Have A Heart Foundation
Recognizing this critical need, we decided to shift our focus towards supporting individuals in dire need of heart surgeries. This transition marked the birth of the Have A Heart Foundation. Our new identity aligned perfectly with our mission of providing life-saving cardiac interventions to those who couldn't otherwise access them.
A Lifeline for Families in Distress
Today, the Have A Heart Foundation collaborates with renowned hospitals, such as Narayana Hrudayalaya in Bengaluru, to negotiate discounted packages for heart surgeries, often up to 50% off the standard hospital rates. We firmly believe that financial constraints should never stand in the way of healing. Our patients contribute what they can afford, and the Foundation covers the rest, typically around Rs. 40,000. This approach ensures that families can focus on their loved one's recovery without the overwhelming burden of medical bills.
OUR MISSION
The Have a Heart Foundation is dedicated to supporting people at the base of the socioeconomic ladder, regardless of caste, creed, or religion. Focusing on Education and Healthcare, the foundation helps improve quality of life by providing access to basic education and specialized healthcare services.
OUR VISION
To render quality healthcare and education services to the underprivileged sections of society. We are committed to helping people in support gain access to Cardiac Health, Prevention of blindness among pre mature babies caused due to ROP and basic education for those in need, ensuring no individual is left behind due to financial constraints.
WHAT WE DO?
Have A Heart Foundation (HAHF) offers lifesaving heart surgeries and essential healthcare to underprivileged individuals across cities in India. With a focused, impact-driven approach, the Foundation supports cardiac and scoliosis surgeries and provides scholarships for basic education, helping bridge the gap in affordability and access to quality medical care.
WHY IT MATTERS?
India faces some of the highest rates of heart disease, yet cutting-edge treatment remains unaffordable for millions. Every donation goes straight to patient care - our trustees personally shoulder all administrative costs, guaranteeing zero overhead.
Treatment takes place locally, ensuring not only excellent surgical outcomes but also ongoing follow-up and community impact.
WHY HEALTHCARE?
The Have A Heart Foundation is to provide state of the art heart care for the poor patients with heart diseases, whose income prevents them from getting the required cardiovascular procedures, to enable them to lead a healthy and better quality of life for them and their families. The beneficiaries are evaluated, diagnosed and treated locally, assuring a high quality of treatment and follow up.
The fact is that modern cardiac surgery is not available to people in the most impoverished areas of India is indeed of no great surprise. Poor access to cardiac surgery is just one of the problems generated by sheer poverty and inequality in developing India, where, in general, cardiac surgery is not a priority and cannot be performed because of lack of money or infrastructure.
The foundation is dedicated to helping poor people get these lifesaving surgeries through financial assistance. The trustees fund possible expenses as well as donate their time and money. Hence 100% of all donations go directly to charity.
OUR IMPACT SINCE 2001
16,000+ Patients
Heart Surgeries
funded for underprivileged patients
900+
infants
Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP)
cases supported to prevent childhood blindness
300+ Students
Education Scholarship
receive scholarship every year till class 12th
MEET THE MISSIONARIES BEHIND THE VISION
Mr. Manohar D Chatlani
Director
Mr. Harish L Mirpuri
Trustee
Mrs. Komal Melwani
Trustee
Mr. Ram Melwani
Trustee
OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM
DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Living in India all my life, I have witnessed the stark contrast between privilege and poverty.
The more I saw the struggles of those less fortunate, the stronger my desire became to make a difference. With nearly 68% of our population belonging to the lower socio-economic sector, the need for accessible healthcare and education is urgent and undeniable.
It was with this vision that Have A Heart Foundation was born in 1997 as Seva Free Clinic.
What started as a small family initiative has today grown into a movement of compassion, serving thousands of families in need. Over the years, we have supported more than 16,000 lifesaving heart surgeries, helped reduce HIV+ mother-to-child transmission from 70% to 1%, sponsored 300+ children’s education every year, and partnered with some of India’s finest hospitals to ensure world-class care for the underprivileged.
Each story of a child restored to health, or a parent smiling again with hope, has been our true inspiration. Have A Heart is not just an organization, it is an opportunity to save lives and spread joy.
I am deeply grateful to the doctors, hospitals, partners, and well-wishers who have joined us on this journey. Together, we can continue to create miracles for those who need it most.
I warmly invite you to be part of our family. Your support will not just change lives, it will save them.
Manohar D Chatlani
Managing Trustee and Director
HAVE A HEART FOUNDATION
STORIES OF CHANGE
Dilshan Mondal, a courageous five-year from West Bengal, should be enjoying time with friends but instead facing a serious heart condition. In April 2013, he was scheduled for surgery at private Hospital in Bengaluru, but his family's Below Poverty Line hindered his treatment. Desperate for help, his family saved. 20,000 and reached out to an NGO in Chennai, but with no assistance received, they turned to the Have A Heart Foundation. With their support, Dilshan was referred to Jayadeva Hospital, where he received the surgery and care he needed.
Now back, Dilshan's journey highlights the struggles many face in finding affordable heart surgery. The Have A Heart Foundation to be crucial in connecting patients with the right hospitals, offering hope to families Dilshan's.
