The following report is from Gift of Life International CEO, Rob Raylman:
Our 11th training visit to La Paz, Bolivia was full of excitement and the culmination of monumental milestones, moving this program closer to sustainability and Legacy status. Six precious Bolivian children were operated at Hospital del Niño and 18 more children had their hearts healed through interventional catheterization procedures at Clinica Obrajes.
Prior to the start of surgeries, the first-ever dedicated pediatric cardiac Intensive Care Unit in La Paz was officially opened at Hospital del Niño.
This essential addition to the pediatric cardiac program will allow for the local team to now operate on children with heart disease, each week, on a reliable and sustainable basis. This Gift of Life Core Program is on track to become a sustainable resource for Bolivian children with heart diseases and to move to Legacy Status in 2025.
This major milestone would not have been possible without our valuable partnerships. Gift of Life International would like to express our deepest gratitude to the City of La Paz (SEDES) for funding the construction of the new ICU. Our sincere thanks to our incredible global network of partners who contributed funds to equip this new unit with state-of-the-art equipment - Gift of Life Florida, Gift of Life Rotary District 7505, Gift of Life Metro New York, Gift of Life New Jersey, Gift of Life Long Island, Gift of Life Rotary District 7490, Gift of Life Central New York [Rotary District 7180], and Herz Bewegt in Austria.
Our heartfelt thanks to Gift of Life Rotary District 7490, Gift of Life Florida, Gift of Life Long Island, Chain of Hope UK and Miguel Jacobowitz for contributing funding to the cost of the training visit. We are grateful to Medtronic and Abbott for their generous product donations which help us maximize our impact in Bolivia.
We are also appreciative of the impeccable logistical support from Karla Patzi at Corazones Chiquitos Bolivia. Last but certainly not least, we are grateful for the partnership of the hospital administration and staff at Hospital del Niño and their commitment to Bolivian children with heart disease.
