Children’s Heart: so many little hearts beating fast again

THE PROBLEM IN NUMBERS

1 million

babies are born with congenital heart defects worldwide each year.

80%

is the percentage of those who risk their lives for lack of pediatric heart surgery within the first few years.

Duration:

2005-ongoing

Location:

Africa (Eritrea, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe) – Asia (Myanmar, Nepal) – Europe (Albania).

Beneficiaries:

Children with congenital or acquired heart disease, who, thanks to the missions of volunteer doctors, undergo screening, life-saving operations, and post-operative follow-up in the countries where they live. Where it is not possible to perform operations locally, children are housed and treated in Italy or Romania.
Local medical personnel, who are trained during the missions, through scholarships or e-learning, to be able to independently treat children with heart disease.
Hospital facilities, which are upgraded to ensure quality health services to the poorest and most vulnerable population groups.

Team:

The program is directly managed by our Foundation: Adalgisa Caraffini, our Project Manager, defines its strategy, countries and methods of intervention. Scientific Advisor is Dr. Stefano Marianeschi, Head of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery at ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda in Milan. More than 100 pediatric cardiac surgery healthcare professionals are volunteering from Italy, Spain, the UK and the USA.

Focus on 2022:
During the year, the gradual cessation of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent easing of restrictions allowed us to resume some activities , particularly overseas missions for the treatment of congenital or acquired heart disease.

A total of 150 children were saved through pediatric cardiac surgery during 2022.