SANTO DOMINGO.- For baseball star and member of the Cooperstown Hall of Fame, David Ortiz (Big Papi), the greatest achievements of his career are not the home runs or the titles, but the lives transformed through his foundation.
To date, more than 16 thousand children have been operated on at the Centers for Diagnostic and Advanced Medicine and Medical Conferences and Telemedicine (CEDIMAT) thanks to this altruistic work.
“I am dealing the real blows now with those children that we are helping through the foundation,” he expressed visibly excited during a conversation at the Corripio Communications Group.
The former designated hitter for the Boston Red Sox, the team with which he won three World Series titles, said that seeing a child recovering and giving a “folder” is his greatest motivation to continue raising funds and helping more children.
Ortiz explained that many of his colleagues, both Dominican and international, have joined the cause over the years.
He also highlighted the importance of the support he has received from the Boston Red Sox.
“The Red Sox combine competitiveness with education, and that is what gives meaning to humanity,” he said.
“Big Papi” reflected on what he has learned since founding his organization.
“Over the years, I have realized that God gives you the opportunity not only to enrich yourself, but also to understand that there are people who need us.”
Ortiz revealed that he has lived in the Dominican Republic for two years, where he has decided to spend more time with his father, staying close to his family and his community.
Results and mission
The former baseball player expressed his satisfaction at seeing the well-being of the operated children and highlighted the progress made by the foundation, which offers free consultations, treatments and procedures for children with heart conditions.
Congenital heart diseases, Ortiz explained, are anomalies in the anatomy of the heart that occur during pregnancy. These conditions can be detected early through fetal echocardiography, determining whether they require surgery or treatments to improve the baby’s quality of life.
Thanks to technological advances and the efforts of the foundation, the lives of dozens of families have been changed.
Ortiz also took the opportunity to thank the people and organizations that support this cause, emphasizing that their contributions make it possible to provide hope to children with these pathologies.
