In Memoriam, Rose Glickman, 1933-2025
Rose Louise Glickman, PhD offered her services to Heart to Heart in the early 2000s, shortly after she retired. Professor of Russian history at UC Berkeley, published author, global traveler, and fluent speaker of four languages, Rose’s passion, knowledge, and skills could not have come to us at a better time. Heart to Heart had recently expanded our scope beyond St. Petersburg, to venture deep into the Russian heartland. We dared to dream that regardless of where a child was born in that vast country, they would have access to life-saving heart care. Our mission deeply resonated with Rose, both as a humanitarian and as a grandmother: her first grandchild had been born with Tetralogy of Fallot, a life-threatening constellation of four heart defects.
Rose channeled her energies—heart and soul—into volunteering with Heart to Heart. She enjoyed referring to herself as our “factotum” and came to feel that the international work she undertook with Heart to Heart was the most meaningful and personally resonant expression of her life experiences and education. After traveling for the first time on a pediatric cardiac training mission, she wrote:
“My first experience in Samara with Heart to Heart was absorbing, astonishing, profound. I cannot let it fade from my memory, and I am humbled by the enormity of describing it.”
And describe her experiences she did, artfully and insightfully, diligently, and with tremendous enthusiasm, for more than a dozen years. Ultimately, Rose was the consummate chronicler on twelve Heart to Heart pediatric cardiac missions at three partner sites in the heartland of Russia: Samara, Tomsk, and Kaliningrad. Armed with her tape recorder, laptop, and Polaroid camera, Rose conducted her in-depth interviews in fluent Russian. She shared our joy as the pediatric cardiac programs at the three sites achieved sustainability.
When Heart to Heart launched our Going Global initiative in 2016, Rose traveled with us to Lima, Peru performing her same invaluable role—this time in fluent Spanish. Her playful spirit and unpretentious wisdom added richness and depth to every Heart to Heart team fortunate enough to work alongside her.
Rose’s writing gave voice to the realities, fears, and hopes of doctors, nurses, parents, and children living with heart disease. On the occasion of Heart to Heart’s 20th anniversary, we recognized Rose for her exceptional volunteerism. She will be profoundly missed on three continents.
More about Rose’s volunteer service
Rose participated on 13 pediatric cardiac missions between 2004-2016:
Samara, Russia: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Tomsk, Russia: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012
Kaliningrad, Russia: 2013
Lima, Peru: 2016
Rose’s Story: read Rose’s first-person account of participating on a Heart to Heart pediatric cardiac training mission in Russia in 2004.
