Child Protection Nicaragua Project #8657

Healing Children's Hearts in Nicaragua

by Surgeons of Hope Foundation, Inc.

Project Report | Jan 24, 2018
Little Luis' Heart Is Being Repaired

By Leila Hawken | Global Giving Coordinator

Luis won the hearts of the medical team.

Projecting that 200 pediatric heart surgeries will be done in 2018, a record for our new Pediatric Heart Center in Managua, Hospital Director Dr. Gerardo is confident the goal can be met. Hospital staffing is complete with a full complement of surgeons, well trained and well-equipped for the future.

In November a complex Glenn procedure (open-heart surgery) was performed on infant Luis whose trusting face won the hearts of the whole staff of doctors and nurses. A Glenn procedure is needed when a large portion of a child’s heart fails to develop, leaving a fully developed part and an undeveloped part. This condition can be repaired by a series of three surgeries; the Glenn procedure is usually the second in the series.

Luis received his successful surgery and has now returned to his village, one step closer to having a normally developed heart. An outcome like this was unimaginable in Nicaragua before Surgeons of Hope began our program there. Where there was limited medical expertise, Surgeons of Hope provided it; where there was no hospital building, Surgeons of Hope provided it; where there was no equipment, Surgeons of Hope provided it.

As a GlobalGiving donor, you have helped us to make Luis’ surgery possible. That is the beauty of our program in Nicaragua. Rather than transporting children like Luis to the U.S. for surgery, we made it possible for him and other children to receive their surgery in Nicaragua. That’s lasting progress. Thanks to you.

Two teams are preparing to visit: A team from Belgium in late January; and a return visit from our French team in March.

Two members of the medical team in Managua

Surgery in Progress

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Oct 27, 2017
Pediatric Surgical Saws Urgently Needed

By Leila Hawken | Fundraising Program Leader

Kener awaiting surgery on his heart

Together with other GlobalGiving donors you have teamed with Surgeons of Hope and helped us to help the babies and children in need of heart surgery in Nicaragua. You and we joined together to build a new, modern Pediatric Heart Center, now open and serving the people of Nicaragua, the second poorest country in Latin America.

Our Executive Director estimates now that close to 190 children will have received surgery in 2017. The beautiful thing about that number is that most of the surgeries are being done by the local team. Remember our motto: “It’s not only what we bring, it’s what we leave behind.”

Managua’s Heart Center, thanks to Surgeons of Hope and our GlobalGiving friends, is making this change happen.

Keeping the equipment up to date and operating at full capacity remains a challenge. The doctors have contacted our Executive Director with an urgent plea for two sternum saws (one for each of the two operating rooms). You can imagine the importance of these saws.

We selected a few photos from a training mission led by a surgical team from Bogota, Colombia to illustrate the care we offer at the Heart Center in Managua. The smile on little Samuel’s face shows you what we and you have done for him. He is growing stronger every day. Notice the trust that Kener’s mother has for our Colombian team.

The children in the photos have now left the hospital and are at home, living lives of healthy children. That’s your GlobalGiving gift.

Please join in helpng us to purchase new surgical saws. Your act of giving models the values of a GlobalGiving partnership, community engagement, and caring for others. This is a truly direct point of aid offering a chance to do real good in the world.

Kener's mother places trust in the doctors

Waiting for the next procedure

Samuel in the ICU

Colombian team pre-screens in meeting room

Links:

check out our website for more information

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Aug 7, 2017
Babies and Children Gain the Gift of Childhood

By Leila Hawken | Development, GlobalGiving Coordinator

Nurse Ana Rosa tends to child

Sustainable progress is made real when a child with a heart problem gets urgently needed care at the hands of skilled surgeons and cariologists. That's what Surgeons of Hope continues to be about.

Since our Pediatric Heart Center opened in Managua, Ncaragua in 2012, progress has been steady, as has the loyalty of our GlobalGiving donors. We opened our modern facility on the grounds of La Mascota Children's Hospital. It boasts 2 operating rooms and 8 ICU units, all designed to bring developed-world care to the underprivileged children in Nicaragua, the 2nd poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

The pediatric heart center has flourished, now attracting leading medical teams from Europe and South America. Each visiting team of 15 specialists volunteer to perform surgery, and while there, to train the local physicians and surgeons in complex procedures. This is a team effort, combining the talents of surgeons, pediatric cardiologists, nurses, perfusionists, and anesthesiologists. The result is healthy young children, returned to their families, free of the heart trouble that they were either born with or that they acquired due to something as simple to cure as a strep throat.

During this month (August, 2017) a team from Bogota and Bucaramanga, Colombia, will visit our heart center for a full mission of surgery and training. GlobalGiving donors are helping to make this mission possible, and for that we remain grateful. The mission will begin on August 12 and continue until the 20th.

In October, a team will travel to our heart center from the children's hospital in Madrid, Spain. You can imagine the progress this will bring. It's always best when Spanish-speaking teams visit, particularly when they are repeat visitors, renewing associations and friendships. Everyone benefits.

This week is International Youth Week beginning August 7 and continuing until August 12, designated as International Youth Day. The purpose is to do what we can to help children to reach their potential, the promise of a childhood free from heart worries. Children in the developed world have access to this promise. Surgeons of Hope is determined to deliver on that promise in Nicaragua.

When little Arlemis, and Angel, and other babies and children weakened by heart problems can walk free from their heart problems, then Surgeons of Hope has fulfilled its promise.

Please help us to continue that promise during International Youth Week.

Little Angel

Team confers

Links:

Check out our website for more information

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