117 Kids Get Life-Saving Heart Surgery in Ghana

Twenty-five years after tragedy struck at Accra Sports Stadium, the foundation created in its wake is saving young lives across Ghana.

The May 9 Foundation marked a quarter century of service by celebrating a remarkable milestone. Through partnership with the Shen Yang and Shen Yuet Children's Heart Foundation, 117 children have received free heart surgeries at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

Each surgery costs between $6,000 and $14,000, expenses entirely covered by the foundation's international partners. The program aims to help 20 to 30 children annually over the next decade.

The foundation emerged from one of African football's darkest moments. On May 9, 2001, more than 126 people died in a stampede during a match between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko at Accra Sports Stadium. The disaster left countless families devastated and searching for answers.

Rather than let the tragedy define only loss, survivors and supporters created the May 9 Foundation. Former Asante Kotoko chairman Herbert Mensah has helped lead the organization's transformation into a lifeline for vulnerable communities across Ghana.

Beyond heart surgeries, the foundation supports families affected by floods and gas explosions. It provides assistance to people with disabilities and offers educational support to children from low-income families.

Interplast recently joined other corporate supporters including Sunda International, GBfoods, Melcom Group, and the Kesben Group in donating items for the 25th anniversary commemoration. These partnerships help the foundation extend its reach to more families in need.

The Ripple Effect

What started as a response to unspeakable loss has touched hundreds of families who never experienced the original tragedy. Children born years after 2001 are running, playing, and dreaming because donors chose to channel grief into action.

The foundation's work proves that communities can transform their darkest moments into powerful forces for good. While families affected by the original disaster continue to heal, their loss has created opportunities for others to thrive.

Medical teams at Korle Bu have developed expertise through the program, building Ghana's capacity to treat complex heart conditions. Each surgery represents not just one saved life but progress toward self-sufficient cardiac care in West Africa.

Herbert Mensah acknowledges that many families still struggle with the aftermath of May 9, 2001. Questions remain unanswered, and some feel support fell short. Yet the foundation's expanding programs show how healing can coexist with remembrance.

A tragedy that took 126 lives has helped save 117 more, with hundreds of surgeries still to come.