A number of children who have survived hole in heart disease through corrective surgeries on Friday joined a mammoth crowd in Kumasi to mark the 24th Anniversary of the Accra stadium stampede of May 9, 2001.
The children who walked on the streets are part of many Ghanaian children who have survived their hole in heart surgeries in the past two years through the generous sponsorship of the Shen Yang & Shen Yuet Children’s Heart Foundation.
The Foundation announced its commitment to fund at least 20 surgeries for children with congenital heart defects every year at the National Cardiothoracic Centre (NCTC) at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Since its inception in 2023, the foundation, established by Mr YC Shen, Global Chairman of Sunda International Group of Companies, has already financed over 81 surgeries at the NCTC, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.
Instrumental to the work of the Shen Yang & Shen Yuet Children’s Heart Foundation in Ghana is its secretary, Herbert Mensah, former Kotoko chairman who also champions the May 9 Foundation’s charity and memorial activities.
He has been influential in helping families to access the support of the foundation.
Some of the surviving children who have fully recovered, by way of demonstrating their vitality, joined Herbert Mensah and the masses of people from Accra and Kumasi who took to the streets of Kumasi last Friday for a walk in remembrance of victims of the Accra Sports Stadium soccer disaster that resulted in the death of over 126 soccer fans 24 years ago.
The Stadium Disaster 2001
The soccer fans died from stampede that ensued after police fired several canisters of tear gas to stop rowdy supporters who were ripping off plastic chairs at the Ade Coker stand of the stadium after a Hearts vs Kotoko match.
Herbert Mensah was chairman of Asante Kotoko during the time of the stadium disaster and since then, he has ensured that Ghanaians never forget about the tragedy through a yearly remembrance street walk and charity events.
This year’s walk was also joined by Gifty Pooley, wife of the late Nana Pooley, an Asante Kotoko fan recently killed at a football match at Nsoatre.
“We have done this for 24 years and it is because of the relevance of the Day and the respect we have for the departed souls, and we will continue to observe the day so long as God gives us life,” Herbert Mensah told the press.
Mr. Mensah who is President of Rugby Africa used the occasion to call for greater tolerance among soccer fans during matches especially in the light of the recent stabbing to death of “Pooley”.
“The tragedy should make football fans more careful; they should understand they are brothers and sisters off the field and they must exhibit the positive rage that comes with soccer,” he added.
He also appealed to government and administrators of the game to invest more into all sports, especially the least financed ones, to encourage patronage.
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