<p><strong>The woman</strong><br />Mireille is not only a compassionate woman, generous in her commitments and her values, but also a woman who is concerned about the heart, who knows the value of the heart beat. Her own, physical heart is so fragile and nonetheless so strong today. From an extremely modest background, Mireille Darc became the talented actress we all know today through hard work and tenacity. But fame did not make Mireille less sensitive or less concerned about others.</p><p><strong>Her fight: &#171; La Cha &icirc;ne de l'Espoir &#187;</strong><br />To heal children who are suffering from heart disease is a priority for the association. The children are treated in France if they can get there and if not, surgeons come to their countries. The aim of the association is to develop medical complexes in foreign countries so that the children can be treated near their families and don't have to travel to French hospitals.</p><p><strong>What about now?</strong><br /> "La Cha&icirc;ne de l'Espoir "exists in many different countries: Belgium, the United Kingdom, Portugal, the United States, Brazil, Israel and soon Lebanon and Spain. In Cambodia, the Cardiovascular Centre of Phnom Penh, set up in November 2001, has the capacity to perform 1,000 operations and provide 20,000 consultations annually.</p>