Former German footballer of Ghanaian heritage, Gerald Asamoah, has shared the motivation behind his Gerald Asamoah Foundation and its focus on supporting those with heart-related conditions.
On November 5, 2024, Asamoah, a former Schalke 04 player, partnered with the German organization Kinderherzen to bring over 40 medical specialists to Ghana for a charity initiative. The team performed heart surgeries on 27 children at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.
During a media interaction at the event, Asamoah explained that his commitment to this cause stems from a personal experience in his football career. He revealed that he once suffered a heart condition that nearly forced him to give up the sport. Grateful for his recovery, Asamoah promised to dedicate his life to supporting others facing similar health challenges.
“In 1998, when I was playing, I had a situation where after one game I wasn’t feeling so well, so I went to the hospital and I was told that I could no longer play football.
As a lover of God, I promised Him that if I made it back to the pitch, I was going to give something back. I came back ten months later and I said, ‘God, you answered my prayers, so I was going to give something back,’” he said.
Gerald Asamoah expressed his heartfelt appreciation to his partners, volunteers, and team members for their dedication and commitment.
He was happy that from humble beginnings, he has built a life where he is able to impact the lives of others.
“I thought it was easy to manage a foundation by just putting money into it, but you need people who will help you. You need committed people, and I have a large team that helps me. I’m really grateful to them. This is like a dream come true for me,” he said.
According to reports, the second installment of the project led by the Gerald Asamoah Foundation and its partners invested over €250,000 to provide medical assistance to more than 27 children in Ghana.