Casa Cuore di bimbi is being created at Niguarda Hospital in Milan to welcome children undergoing heart treatment and the family members caring for them.
When a child needs to travel to Italy for specialized heart surgery, being far from home can add another layer of difficulty for the whole family. Casa Cuore di bimbi will offer families a safe and welcoming place to stay close to their child throughout treatment and recovery.
Heart care does not end with surgery. Children and their families may need to remain in Milan before and after an operation, attend follow-up appointments and manage the practical challenges of being away from home.
Casa Cuore di bimbi is designed to support families throughout this journey by providing:
Casa Cuore di bimbi will be located inside Niguarda Hospital, close to the pediatric cardiac surgery unit.
The approximately 200-square-meter home will include three bedrooms with private bathrooms, a kitchen, living and play areas, and a laundry room. Mission Bambini volunteers will also support families during their stay, together with cultural mediation and psychological support when needed.
Locating the home inside the hospital will allow parents and caregivers to remain especially close to their children during hospitalization, including the most delicate stages of treatment and intensive care.
Over the years, through Cuore di bimbi (Children’s Heart), Mission Bambini has brought children with serious heart conditions to Italy when the treatment they needed was not available in their home countries.
Their families often had to find accommodation near the hospital while facing the emotional and practical challenges of caring for a child far from home. The same difficulty affects families from other parts of Italy who need to travel to Milan for specialized treatment.
Casa Cuore di bimbi was created to respond to this need, giving families a place where they can stay close to their children without the additional burden of finding accommodation during treatment. Families who are unable to cover accommodation costs will be hosted free of charge
Casa Cuore di bimbi is part of Mission Bambini’s broader Children’s Heart program.
Alongside medical screenings, heart surgery and the training of local health care professionals, the program recognizes that caring for a child also means supporting the family throughout the treatment journey.