Staff of Stanbic bank save 7-month-old baby with hole in heart

Staff of Stanbic Bank have donated $8500 to offset the surgical cost of Elaine Esther Akosua Owusu, a 7 month old baby diagnosed with three holes in her heart.

Born with one large hole and two small ones in her heart, Baby Elaine’s condition cannot be treated in Ghana. Doctors recommended a surgery at the Apollo Children’s Hospital in India, without which she would die in four months.

Her parents were however unable to raise the USD 8,500 needed for the surgery thus Stanbic Bank stepped in and offered help. The staff of Stanbic Bank contributed and raised the amount in less than two weeks.

According to Samuel Teye, Head, Human Capital, Stanbic Bank, the plight of little Elaine is a call to duty.

“The gesture goes beyond the fundamental human needs; it is the need to support a life,” Mr. Teye said.

“I believe all the donations we have gotten from staff members are purely from the hearts of the people in their bid to support little Elaine.”

He added it will be great to see Elaine walk in the next few years, knowing that staff of the bank were part of a contribution to make her become what she wants to be in future – a cause he believes is worthy and self-rewarding. Linda Aryee, Communications Officer at Stanbic, said the staff were moved by little Elaine’s story, so they did all they could to make the surgery possible.

“We are delighted to be part of this life saving initiative,” she said. “As a bank, apart from helping Ghanaians secure their financial health, we also look out to save lives, as seen in some of the numerous projects that we have embarked on.”

Receiving the cheque, Bright Kweku Awuku, Elaine’s father, expressed thanks to staff of Stanbic for their charitable act.

“We are eternally grateful for this timely intervention,” he said. “We don’t know how we could have raised this amount in such little time.”

He also expressed appreciation to Starr FM and Graphic Communications for helping appeal for more funds through their media.

Staff of Stanbic are committed to contributing and financially empowering the less privileged - a culture which is in tandem with Stanbic Bank’s culture of supporting and caring for the vulnerable.

Staff of the Bank are also often encouraged to identify and contribute towards offering social support in education, sports development, the agricultural sector, poverty relief, health and environmental protection.

This year, staff of the Bank have spearheaded CSR projects such as the donation of a neonatal phototherapy machine to the Ridge Hospital, setting up of a trust fund for two children of a deceased kidney patient, refurbishment of the Children’s Wing of the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital, Mampong Akwapim as well as donation of food items to several orphanages across the country.