GE encourages Ramadan charity with online Health Pledgebook

GE has created a simple and innovative way to be charitable in Saudi Arabia with a new initiative called Pledgebook. This feature allows anyone visiting the Healthymagination website to register a personal pledge of support and encouragement for healthy living, with GE donating 1 Saudi Riyal to both the Saudi Heart Association & the Saudi Cancer Society for each pledge received. People who have made the pledge, which describes how they will try to be healthier in their lives, can then easily share it on Facebook, Twitter and their blogs to encourage others to participate as well. Together with the Ministry of Health, GE is committed to bringing better health to Saudi Arabia under its Healthymagination initiative by expanding access to quality care at lower costs. The Pledgebook is a unique and engaging opportunity to make a difference to one’s own health, and others as well .

Upon visiting the website, users are given the option of logging in with their Facebook account or registering a new profile with Healthymagination. They can then enter a personal message, upload a photo, and register their pledge. Once users have created their pledge, they will be able to post it to their Facebook walls, tweet the link using Twitter, and embed the link for display on their blogs.  They will also be able to see and ‘like’ their friends’ pledges on Facebook, along with browsing a general gallery of pledges which can be ‘liked’ as well. As an additional feature, users making a pledge will be able to download a ‘Pledge Badge’ to their Facebook and Twitter profiles or their blog, showing a live-updated view of the Pledge Counter and links back to Pledgebook. 

“We wanted to contribute to a charitable program that wasn’t only innovative but also easy for people to participate in” said Majid Kaddoumi, General Manager of GE Healthcare.  “Pledgebook allows anyone with a commitment to supporting 2 worthy causes in the Kingdom to easily donate money while spreading the word to their friends and acquaintances about why healthy living is so important for leading a happy, fulfilled life.”

Pledgebook was created as an ongoing project to encourage charity during Ramadan and healthy living year-round, and will continue to grow with more pledges and donations in the future.

“We are very excited to partner with GE on this new initiative,” said Dr. Al Amro of the Saudi Cancer Society. “This is providing much needed awareness in the fight against lifestyle-related diseases while providing funding toward the important services we offer for people receiving cancer treatment.”    

Dr. Hani Najm, Vice-President of the Saudi Heart Association Deputy Chairman and Head of Cardiac Surgery  added, “It’s very easy to say you will do more to be healthy. We always say these things, especially around the time of Ramadan. But through this initiative, not only is GE helping to raise funds and raise awareness, they are also driving people to act on their promise for a healthier life.”

GE has also introduced effective Healthymagination initiatives related to nutrition and health for women, such as breast cancer awareness and the importance of early detection in fighting the disease. The website includes three important sections: women’s health, food & nutrition, and general health & fitness. Each of these sections contains weekly articles based on the most recent studies and statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), so that more awareness is created in Saudi and Arab societies. GE also runs other sections related to specific occasions throughout the year, such as summer and Ramadan, which offer guidance on how to maintain one’s health.