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HEALINGCHILDREN’SHEARTSINELSALVADOR

January2016

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DearHeartCareInternationalSupporter:

TheHeartCareInternationalvolunteermedicalteamreturnedtoSanSalvador,ElSalvadorforour11thcatheterizationandtrainingmissiontheweekofJanuary11,2016.WithawarmwelcomefromDr.MauricioVelado,hisnewpartnerTeodoroDeJesus,andthemedicalstaffattheHospitaldeDiagnosticoandtheSanamiCorazonteamthatsupportsHeartCareinElSalvador,thisinternationalteamperformedlife-savingcathprocedureson22childrenandexaminedanadditional6childrenduringthe4½daymission.

Buildingonthehistoryofclosepartnershipandcollaboration,thisincrediblegroupofindividualscontinuestohelpensurethesuccessfuloutcomesforthechildren,aswellastheoverallhealthofthepediatricheartprograminElSalvador.

TheHeartCareInternationalteamwascomprisedoffourdoctors,fourmedicalsupportpeopleandonenon-medicalpersonwhowereassistedbyalocalhospitalteam.Theteamwaskeptbusyperformingsixcatheterizationsthefirstday,fiveeachforthenextthreedaysandonethelastday.Afewchildrenweretooillandcouldnotbetreatedatthistime.Severalchildrenwerereferredforsurgery.

PleasetakeamomenttoseetheimpactthattheHCImissionshave,asthechildrencontinuetothriveaftertheirlife-savingheartprocedures.

Thankyousomuchforyourcontinuedsupport!

Mostsincerely,

TheHeartCareInternationalBoardofDirectors

BoardofDirectors:RobertMichler,MD

Founder&ChairmanWilliamSchechter,MD

ViceChairmanPaulLange,TreasurerSallyMichler,SecretaryPhyllisJacob,AssistantTreasurerSusanPoland,LegalCounselReverendRonAllisonChrisCombeAndrewFoxGregIslanAnneKennedyCarolynKyne,TeamCaptain:ICUIldaLeeBetsyTirado,LogisticsCoordinatorSamWeinstein,MD

TeamCaptain:SurgeryAdministrativeStaff:ErendiraMatzumura

ExecutiveDirectorHeartCareInternationalisaFederallyrecognizednot-for-profitorganizationwith501(c)(3)status.Pleasevisitourwebsiteat:www.heartcareintl.org

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THESECHILDRENANDTHEIRFAMILIESTHANKYOUFORYOURSUPPORT!

Idia(12y,2m),Greyli(8y,3m),Tatiana(5y,8m),Hazel(3y,6m),Maria(7m)

Litzy(6y),Milton(13y,2m),Emely(1y,4m),Jael(10m),Jefferson(9m)

Kendrick(1y,10m),Jeimy(3y,9m),Christian(8y),Jose(1y,5m),Daniela(1y,6m),Jefferson(15y)

Pamela(1y,9m),Elibeth(12y,11m),Kimberly(1y,4m),Estephany,Wendy(1y,9m),Marlon(8y,2m)

139 East Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830 I info@heartcareintl.org I P: 203.552.5343 I www.heartcareintl.org

CHANGINGLIVESONECHILDATATIME

Elibeth’sStory

Elibeth,13yearsold,liveswithherfather’smotherand8yearoldsister.Thegirls’parentsarelivinginTexasasundocumentedresidents.Elibethandhersisterhavetwobrothers,ages16and12,whocrossedtheborderalonemonthsago.Ittookthem3monthstogettotheborderwheretheywerepickedupbyimmigrationandsenttotheNewYorkCityfostercaresystem.AfterafewmonthsinNewYorktheboyswerereunitedwiththeirparentsinTexas.

Elibethwasdiagnosedwithaholeinherheartattheageof7aftershepassedoutatschool.AdoctorheardaheartmurmurandreferredhertoBloomHospitalinSanSalvadorforfurthertreatment.Shewastoldthatsheneededaprocedurethatwasveryexpensive,onethefamilycouldnotafford.EveryyearElibethgotsickerasshewaitedforarepairofherheartdefect.Attimes,sheandhergrandmothercouldnotaffordthebusfareforthe3hourjourneytothehospitalinSanSalvador.

ButonMonday,January11,2016,themayoroftheirhometownreceivedaphonecallfromSanaMiCorazon(SMC).SMCaskedhimtosendamessagetoElibeth’sgrandmotherthattheHeartCareInternationalcathteamwasinSanSalvadorandtheywouldtreatElibethonWednesday.ThemayorhimselfdroveElibeth,hergrandmotherandsister(plus,alivechickenasadonationtothankAnaLuzofSMCforhelpingthem!)totheHospitaldeDiagnosticoforthelong-awaitedcatheterizationprocedure.BylateWednesdayElibethwasrecoveringfromherprocedureandbyThursdaymorningsheandherfamilywerereadytoheadhome.Elibethisnowhealthyenoughtoplaywithhersisterandherschoolfriendsandwantstobereunitedwithherparents.Sheworriesthatshewillforgetthemlikeheryoungersisterwhowasonly1whentheirparentsimmigratedtotheUS.Finally,shehopessomedaytobeateacher.

139 East Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830 I info@heartcareintl.org I P: 203.552.5343 I www.heartcareintl.org

CHANGINGLIVESONECHILDATATIME

Greyli’sStory

Greyliisan8yearoldtwin.Sheattends2ndgrade,buthashadmanyabsencesduetoherheartcondition.Shegetssickfrequentlywithcolds,fatigueandisunabletokeepupwithhertwinandotherhealthychildren.Thismakeshersad.Greylilovestowriteandpaintbecauseitdoesnotmakehertired.

Greyli’smomhasbeenunabletoworkbecauseshemustbeavailableandclosebyincaseGreylineedstogotothehospital.Hermomwashappy,anxiousandscaredwhenthecallcameonMonday,January11,2016tocometothehospitalforacathproceduretorepairtheproblemswithherdaughter’sheart.Whilenervousforherchild,shefeltsadforthechildwhoseprocedurewascancelledduetoacold.Greylitookthatchild’splace.Withtearsinhereyes,Greyli’smomnotedthat“weareallinthesamepredicament.Ourchildrenaresick.Theyneedanintervention.WeallwaitanxiouslyforthehelpthatSanaMeCorazonandHeartCareInternationalprovide,andthensomeonehasacoldandmissestheopportunitytobecured.”OnWednesday,January13,2016,Greyliwenthomewithherparents,readytokeepupwithhertwin!

Thankstoourdonors,sponsorsandvolunteers,HeartCareInternationalwillcontinuethemissionofmendingchildren’sheartsinElSalvador,withplansforourMay2016surgicalmissiontoElSalvadorwellunderway.

139 East Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830 I info@heartcareintl.org I P: 203.552.5343 I www.heartcareintl.org

OURTEAMSINACTION

HEARTCAREINTERNATIONAL’S100%VOLUNTEERMEDICALSTAFF

Givinguppersonaltimewiththeirfamiliesandvacationtimeattheirregularplacesofemployment,sevencathteammemberscamefromBoston.ThisteamofdedicatedprofessionalsandtheotherslikeitaretheheartandsoulofHeartCareInternational’soperationandweareincrediblygratefulfortheirgenerosityoftime,talentandexpertise.

DiegoPorras,CardiologyCathInterventionistAlfonsoCasta,AnesthesiaJoseRivera,CathLabTech

PujaBanka,PediatricCardiologistPaulTannous,Pediatrician

ElizabethKehoe,RN&TripCoordinatorBetsyTirado,ICUNurse&HCITripCoordinator

DougGould,CRNAGregIslan,Volunteer

139 East Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830 I info@heartcareintl.org I P: 203.552.5343 I www.heartcareintl.org

OURIN-KINDSPONSORS

Travellingoverseastoadministerlife-savingheartprocedurestochildrenindevelopingcountriesisachallengeonsomanyfronts.Thegenerosityofourin-kindmedicalsupplysponsorsenablesHeartCareInternationaltoconductthemaximumnumberofproceduresatthelowestperpatientcost,therebyensuringthatnochildisleftbehind.HeartCareInternationalisextremelygratefultothesecriticalsponsors,includingSt.JudeMedical,whodonatedtheAmplatzerdevicesanddeliverysystems,DavidGreaney,COOKMedicalrepwhodonatedthelongsheaths,introducersforourtripandPaulMalone,MeritMedicalrepwhohelpedobtainequipmentdonationsforourtrip.Wecouldnothaveaccomplishedourmissionwithoutyoursupport.

139 East Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830 I info@heartcareintl.org I P: 203.552.5343 I www.heartcareintl.org