The Heart Kids Blogathon is an annual 24-hour blogging marathon to raise awareness about Congenital Heart Disease and to generate funding to sponsor life-saving heart surgery for poor children. 

During the event which is scheduled in August-September every year, Dr.Mani updates his blog every 30 minutes with a new post - taking no breaks, day and night, for 24 hours!

The Heart Kids Blogathon was first held in 2003, and raised a little over $9,000 for the Dr.Mani Children Heart Foundation. The next year was better, with $10,833 donated by over 100 generous supporters.

This prompted us to set our sights higher, and in the 2005 Heart Kids Blogathon, the target set was as high as $100,000. But the actual sum raised fell far lower than this, bringing in $7,150 from donors. 

In total, over 250 donors have contributed amounts ranging from $5 to $5,000 and more, helping raise over $50,000 in the past 4 years.

The funds are used exclusively to sponsor expensive, life-saving heart surgery for poor children born with heart defects. 13 operations, all successful, have been supported by the Dr.Mani Children Heart Foundation, with funds available for more.