The heart disease awareness petition submitted by Tiny Hearts of Maldives, featuring the story of Keyaan, the son of the NGO’s founders Ali Muaz and Fathimath Hishmath Faiz, has garnered global attention.
Keyaan was born on July 8, 2008, as a seemingly healthy baby boy. But just days later, a nurse noticed his lips, nails, and even his tiny body was turning blue.
It was then that his parents learned Keyaan had Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) – a type of critical congenital heart defect (CHD).
They had never heard of CHD before. Didn’t know what it meant, and were completely unprepared for what was coming.
On day five, they were told their son needed emergency surgery to survive. With the help of family and friends, they managed to fly to Cochin, India, where surgeons performed life-saving shunt surgery, which was followed by days of intensive treatment.
Ali Muaz and Fathimath Hishmath Faiz with their son, Keyaan. (Photo/Tiny Hearts of Maldives)
They brought Keyaan home to the Maldives on day 47. After his first surgery and returnhome, Keyaan was able to enjoy a brief but beautiful time surrounded by love and comfort. He recovered well and brought light and joy to everyone around him.
But this moment of peace didn’t last.
Keyaan’s health took a sudden turn, and he once again needed timely and critical care – care that was not available in the Maldives at that time. On day 78, his parents rushed him to India again on an emergency flight.
This time, they couldn’t save him. Keyaan lost his fight against CHD.
Out of their heartbreak, they made a promise: no parent should ever have to face this alone. No child should lose their life because of delayed diagnosis, lack of awareness, or limited access to care.
That promise became Tiny Hearts of Maldives, officially registered on July 8, 2009 – on what would have been Keyaan’s first birthday.
Ali Muaz and Fathimath Hishmath Faiz founded the Tiny Hearts of Maldives in 2009. (Photo/Tiny Hearts of Maldives)
Today, Tiny Hearts of Maldives fights for every tiny heart – from newborns with congenital heart defects (CHDs) to children and families affected by cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). For the last years, they’ve been on a relentless mission to save and improve lives across the country.
As part of this year’s World Heart Day campaign, the World Heart Federation (WHF) has partnered with Change.org to launch 10 global petitions calling on governments to expand care and screening for high blood pressure — an urgent step that could save millions of lives.
The Tiny Hearts of Maldives’ founding story has been selected and featured among these ten global stories.
The NGO believes the recognition places the Maldives and the heart health struggles of Maldivian children and communities on the global map, highlighting the urgent need for action on CVD — the number one killer in the country, responsible for 37 percent of all deaths in Maldives.
The petition is currently ranked second globally, just some 50 signatures behind the one placed first.
School children form a heart at the national football stadium in Male' City. (Photo/Tiny Hearts of Maldives)
Tiny Hearts of Maldives has asked for support from the Maldivian public to help them climb further, amplify their cause, and ensure that Keyaan’s story – the story of Maldivian hearts - is heard loud and clear on the world stage.
More deadly than cancer, heart disease claims around 20 million lives a year and is the reason that one in five people die early.
Medication to reduce high blood pressure - a major risk factor for heart disease - saves lives by preventing heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes. 
But four in five people are not getting the treatment they need to control their blood pressure.
The campaign by the World Heart Federation calls on governments to act now and commit to helping some 500 million more people get the treatment they need by 2030.