Overview
New Zealand inventor and philanthropist Sir Ray Avery has announced a Live Aid-style concert will take place at Auckland's Eden Park next year. Named HEARTBEATS, the charity concert is part of an effort to save one million premature babies worldwide using an incubator he's created for communities in need.
Sir Ray needs to raise $4 million to build and supply 2000 LifePod incubators to hospitals and medical centres throughout the Pacific and developing countries over the next 24 months. "Every year, three million babies around the world die in the first 28 days of their short lives," says Sir Ray. The initiative has already raised $1.6 million for 820 incubators.
The HEARTBEATS campaign will culminate in the fundraising concert at Eden Park on Waitangi Day 2019 (Wednesday 6 February). It will feature an A-list international performer as well as some of New Zealand's most celebrated talents. The lineup will be announced in two months.
According to Stuff, Sir Ray got the idea for the concert after meeting Sir Bob Geldolf in New Zealand.
Stay tuned for more information about HEARTBEATS. For more about the LifePods and to make a donation, visit heartbeats.nz.