(Photo Credit: Fernando Goldoni/Facebook)
“Every thirty minutes in Costa Rica, someone arrives to one of the hospitals with a cardiovascular problem, and close to 1,500 Costa Ricans require an open heart surgery every year, although only close to 700 are able to get one”, according to data provided by doctor Elliot Garita from the International Heart Foundation (Fundación Internacional del Corazón – FUNICOR).

“Touching Hearts” is the name of a campaign-exhibition that features the talents of many national artists. 35 heart-shaped sculptures 1.3 meters high (4’27”) hand painted and that bring together health and art.

Rafa Fernández, Isidro Con Wong, Blanca Ruiz and Fabio Herrera are just some of the 35 artists that donated their time and contributed with the design of these hearts that seek to raise awareness over cardiac health.

The initiative has the support of the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Health and the San José Municipality as well as private companies.

The artwork will be in exhibition in different shopping centers like Multiplaza Curridabat and Escazú, City Mall in Alajuela, Paseo Metrópoli in Cartago and Paseo de las Flores in Heredia, and will be auctioned in September.

“Costa Rica handles 70% of the open heart surgeries in the region, and at least 7 thousand patients in Central America can’t get the necessary attention; 5% have the possibility of getting the procedure done in the USA with their own money; 15% have access to insurance or loans to pay for the surgery, but 80% of them have no possibilities to cover the cost of an open heart surgery”, states the FUNICOR Facebook page, the foundation raises money to help that 80% get the surgery needed .