One per cent (1%) of the world's population is born with heart disease making it the most common birth defect. Many congenital heart defects can be repaired with one surgical intervention, some require staged repairs. The United States and other developed countries throughout the world have hundreds of medical centers with trained specialists to care for children with heart disease. For children who are born in developing nations, this is not the case.
In these developing nations, when a baby is born with a congenital heart defect it is often undiagnosed until the child begins to have difficulty eating, not growing, and turning blue. This is when the nightmare begins for the child and his or her parents. Local doctors will tell them there is no one who can help in their country. They will be told that they can send their child to London, or the United States or some other developed country that has trained doctors. But, it costs more money than most of these parents would never see in their lifetime.
Imagine the anguish of parents in underdeveloped or remote regions who have no one to work this miracle on their suffering child. Imagine having no alternative to watching your child waste away and die. A simple procedure performed by skilled surgeons could save many children. The challenge is to get skilled doctors to the children in time to save them.
The International Children's Heart Foundation strives to correct this unfortunate situation by:
- Providing direct care to as many children as possible in the short term,
- Sending medications, surgical supplies and diagnostic equipment to developing country medical facilities, and
- Training developing country surgeons and medical team staff so they ultimately can provide care for their own people.
The passion for our work is demonstrated through the remarkable consistent and continuing commitment of the ICHF staff and their volunteer medical teams who execute 12 - 15 two to three week trips each year.
Please see our Frequently Asked Questions section for additional information.
