https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog daily 0.75 2025-07-08 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2025/5/22/in-memoriam-rose-glickman-1933-2025 monthly 0.5 2025-05-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/ee3e0bb0-9df0-4319-841c-a29d9763ca55/Rose+Glickman.jpg Blog - In Memoriam, Rose Glickman, 1933-2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2024/8/16/program-progress-optimizing-patient-selection-for-costa-rican-children-with-chd monthly 0.5 2024-08-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/a80dddd9-e89c-4eda-8fd1-6ce0bd5131b7/IMG_9403.JPG Blog - Program Progress: Optimizing patient selection for Costa Rican children with CHD - Make it stand out Doctors Frank Cetta (left) and Gary Raff (right) perform an echocardiogram on a post-operative pediatric patient in the intensive care unit at HNN. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/60f2085c-26a0-46ca-942c-0c90214b426f/IMG_9551.jpg Blog - Program Progress: Optimizing patient selection for Costa Rican children with CHD - Make it stand out Costa Rica’s national mascot—the sloth—welcomes travelers at Juan Santamaria International airport in San Jose, the country’s capital city. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2023/10/17/treating-adults-with-heart-disease-in-costa-rica monthly 0.5 2025-07-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/17fef151-aad8-4ced-92af-c02dd26ef4b3/IMG_4047.JPG Blog - Treating Adults with Heart Disease in Costa Rica - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2023/3/30/doctors-day monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/94bce867-9e27-4b28-a915-ae5c0c95a734/83b3b2f6-72a9-46ef-badf-2df0ac5eceea.jpg Blog - Celebrating Doctor's Day 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2022/11/14/costa-rica-program-update monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/da89c702-833e-4415-9cda-9141e486064e/IMG_4021.jpg Blog - Costa Rica Program Update - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2022/8/3/world-humanitarian-day-spotlight-kavitha-pundi-md monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/e877a770-9e24-4d45-be42-f15e4186f573/IMG_0278.jpg Blog - World Humanitarian Day Spotlight: Kavitha Pundi, MD - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/e54065d2-ced3-4b43-8b2b-eb71f0846f09/IMG_1818.jpeg Blog - World Humanitarian Day Spotlight: Kavitha Pundi, MD - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2022/7/11/heart-to-heart-in-costa-rica-pura-vida-8446g monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/7c86b872-2030-4696-a92a-72ade1123ab7/OR+Landscape.png Blog - Costa Rica Program Report - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2022/2/18/heart-valve-disease-awareness-day-2022 monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1752c4e5-2ec4-42ad-981b-e30d770fb428/Heart+Valve+Disease+Awareness+Day.jpg Blog - Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/64470e4c-2d33-4bd6-950d-829ca5c5f0d5/heart+valve.jpg Blog - Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day 2022 - Image credit: Image credit: © tinyscarvalvesurgery.com https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2021/11/3/honoring-nilas-young monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1635961048861-0KXM3W23MYMWB6QQJDLP/Young+shaking+hands+with+Gorbachev.JPG Blog - In Honor of Nilas Young, MD Meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev, former President of the Soviet Union, in 2002. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1635961148696-5Q9AC6Z1T4TPL7BY1XP2/Vera+and+Nilas.jpg Blog - In Honor of Nilas Young, MD Consulting with a patient in Chelyabinsk during a valvular disease training mission in 2015. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1635961106217-LGJ382QI4JHLHLP2BRV9/teaching1.jpg Blog - In Honor of Nilas Young, MD Operating with a Russian surgeon circa 2015. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1635961138520-Q7RF0EW9SNA6YKIC4U20/H2H_1064.jpg Blog - In Honor of Nilas Young, MD Speaking at Heart to Heart’s 20th anniversary event on February 14, 2009. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1635961053079-YYWD2NJC5GK9H0BDG3DN/25.jpg Blog - In Honor of Nilas Young, MD Making a playful connection with a young heart patient. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2021/9/15/ben-parker-spotlight monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1632325974820-NTRAYI76AXUSCHRN24IB/IMG_6402.jpg Blog - World Heart Day: Spotlight on Ben Parker - Make it stand out Despite being born with a life-threatening heart defect, from a young age, Ben saw his future in sports. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1632336409462-A1A4D36HD9A8YX5GHDPH/QNL4n4h-0%21sizeoriginal.jpg Blog - World Heart Day: Spotlight on Ben Parker - Make it stand out Since graduating from UC Berkeley, Ben has worked as a sports reporter, covering Bay Area college athletics. (Photo credit: Allene Salerno, @leniespictures). https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/steven-larson monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1612397970613-TADL2ZK6GX0LMUWUDF3W/steven Blog - CHD Spotlight: Steven Larson Baby Steven recovering in the intensive care unit after open heart surgery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1611699281494-OSF7WTFLDMYEY9SNFHDC/larson3 Blog - CHD Spotlight: Steven Larson Lifelong CHD patient and Heart to Heart supporter, Steven Larson. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2020/5/5/national-nurses-week-our-heroes monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1588717387364-WRJWSYYE69JHRRESWSJI/nursesweek19.png Blog - National Nurses Week – Our Indispensable Heroes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1588795983428-H33WW00BER46F7QI9KXC/Untitled%2Bdesign%2B%25282%2529.jpg Blog - National Nurses Week – Our Indispensable Heroes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1588709357282-BCAT7OXE9C9VEXTIVJ7H/unnamed.png Blog - National Nurses Week – Our Indispensable Heroes Torreon, Mexico Nurse Mary Zanobini with Heart to Heart’s first surgical patient in Mexico, six-year-old Alejandro and his grandmother. See our video about Alejandro here. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/remembering-steve-holland monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1580838928125-5EH0AQSL1GFPB7KGW94S/73913_25.jpg Blog - In Memoriam: Steve E. Holland In the summer of 1995, Steve travelled to St. Petersburg on behalf of his local Rotary Club, which had raised funds to purchase a critically needed heart-lung machine for Heart to Heart’s first partner site, Children’s Hospital No. I. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1580860945910-MM77TA47IB27U11M1V43/DSC_4886.jpg Blog - In Memoriam: Steve E. Holland With the formal announcement of our Going Global Campaign, Steve was all smiles at our 25th anniversary celebration. Since that time, Heart to Heart medical volunteers have travelled to Peru, Paraguay, Mexico, Guatemala, Armenia, and Costa Rica. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/site-assessment-in-armenia monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1574880648229-OFZRIBZDEF3QIQLTI2NB/IMG_5504.jpg Blog - Going Global: Site assessment in Armenia Heart to Heart site assessment team explore the Republic Square in central Yerevan. The Republic Square has been described as Yerevan's "architectural highlight" and the city’s "most outstanding architectural ensemble.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1574881048921-OP64TBS9ESD2C4QXHMMG/IMG_5514.jpg Blog - Going Global: Site assessment in Armenia The Heart to Heart site assessment team observed in one of Nork-Marash Medical Center's intensive care units. All of their ICUs and wards are combined pediatric and adult cardiac. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1574880994098-GTIS2XVY79X90VB9U4OY/IMG_5520.jpg Blog - Going Global: Site assessment in Armenia Heart to Heart board member Lizbeth Hasse, Russian medical colleague Tigran Akobyan, MD medical volunteer and board president Frank Cetta, MD, Armenian Ministry of Health advisor Karen Zohrabyan, MD, and Yelena Simonyants, public relations officer at Nork-Marash Medical Center before visiting the operating room. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2019/4/12/on-the-ground-in-paraguay monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555101548317-GGGA9SKI05HE7DBJALVP/IMG_0743.JPG Blog - On the Ground in Paraguay ASUNCION, PARAGUAY Heart to Heart's lead surgeon, Nilas Young, talks to Adolfo G. about his upcoming open heart surgery. On April 8, 2019, the joint Heart to Heart-Paraguayan team successfully implanted the donated valves through open heart surgery. Adolfo's surgery was Heart to Heart’s first surgical case in the country of Paraguay. Adolfo was discharged from the ICU two days later. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555101488897-1T84KV0JTKBHKWBUN1Z6/IMG_0751.JPG Blog - On the Ground in Paraguay Adolfo and Sandra live in the center of Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay, in a neighborhood called Obrero. Adolfo has lived in the capital his whole life. He has four grown children and one grandchild. He proudly tells us about each one of them. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/first-mission-to-paraguay monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555104348231-50KK1YMYY8BSVXGGMMYY/Screen-Shot-2019-03-28-at-1.51.14-PM.png Blog - Our First Mission to Paraguay https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2019/4/12/bringing-open-heart-surgery-to-the-children-of-northern-mexico monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555104985114-ZL3VTAL2WX6WY5TJ7Z1Q/IMG_9879-1024x683.jpg Blog - Bringing Open Heart Surgery to the Children of Northern Mexico GIFT OF LIFE While the lead surgeon makes a chest incision, assistants cauterize the wound to minimize blood loss. During this mission, surgeons Raff and Serrano worked together in the operating room for the first time–saving the lives of five Mexican children. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555105030377-5DOIT5ZNFPNNW1FSVWSZ/IMG_9853-1024x683-1.jpg Blog - Bringing Open Heart Surgery to the Children of Northern Mexico OPEN HEART CASE NO. 1 IN MEXICO On Tuesday, December 11, 2018, pediatric cardiac surgeon Gary Raff (UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA) and cardiac surgeon Gerardo Serrano (Hospital Universitario Torreon, Mexico) work together to operate on six-month-old Aitana in the hospital’s first pediatric open heart case. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555104720877-U4GKVQAGTZ2BWJUAZ4GX/IMG_9244-e1544806406487-683x1024.jpg Blog - Bringing Open Heart Surgery to the Children of Northern Mexico CARING FOR CHILDREN Heart to Heart volunteer, pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist, Dr. Laura Berenstain (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital), comforts baby Aitana while preparing her for surgery. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/going-gobal-guatemala monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1561048709165-181M4NGJDP7ZOOU9Z2L0/Untitled-design-19.jpg Blog - Going Global: Site assessment in Guatemala Heart to Heart in Guatemala City: Heart to Heart meets with Guatemalan cardiac thought leaders to discuss collaborating to advance and expand care. Left to right: Joaquin Barnoya, MD; David Teitel, MD; Gonzalo Calvimontes, MD; Heart to Heart Founder & Medical Director, Nilas Young, MD; Raul Cruz, MD; Heart to Heart Program Manager Albina Popova; and Heart to Heart Executive Director, Josie Everett. Shown right: Guatemala is home to 37 volcanoes, In Spring 2018, volcano Fuego violently erupted, affecting nearly two million people. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/going-global-site-assessment-in-torreon monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1561048430403-6UA6SY28K336HZ9JM4HL/IMG_3555-1-1.jpg Blog - Going Global: Site assessment in Mexico The Heart to Heart site assessment team shown here from left: Nilas Young, MD; Josie Everett, and Victor Rodriguez, MD meet with cardiac surgeon Gerardo Serrano, MD and his adminstrative colleague at a potential collaborative site in Torreon, Mexico. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1561048464517-FU7JH7OH4I463L8TD3R1/WhatsApp-Image-2018-05-17-at-1.26.47-PM-1-600x450.jpg Blog - Going Global: Site assessment in Mexico https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2018/10/1/going-global-site-assessment-in-paraguay monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1538426118085-JP3TD1XYR47KK3K1QEJ0/Nilas-Dr.-Adrian-Ebner-Josie-Milagros-Patricia-2-min-768x576.jpg Blog - Going Global: Site assessment in Paraguay Paraguay’s first pediatric cardiac team We met with Paraguay’s only full-time pediatric cardiac surgeon, Dr. Patricia Egusquiza, and her team (shown above). We were able to see firsthand one of their many tangible accomplishments while visiting the University Hospital – a four-bed stand alone pediatric cardiac ICU. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1538425951961-4452PEM9K3J23R05OF4H/Flags-in-hospital-3-min-768x576.jpg Blog - Going Global: Site assessment in Paraguay On the ground in Paraguay Paraguay has been on the rise following a tumultuous recent history, marked by the War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70) during which the country lost two-thirds of its adult male population. The ensuing military dictatorship ended in 1989 when Paraguayans were able to return their country to democracy (source: Library of Congress). Pictured here: Paraguayan national flag, the flag of Vatican City, and a statue of the Virgin Mary. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1538426074216-TZ71JSY4V0IQFSPNOE1H/Series-of-child-4-e1524690746784-450x600.jpg Blog - Going Global: Site assessment in Paraguay The burden of heart disease in Paraguay Each year, approximately 1,400 children born with congenital heart disease enter Paraguay’s limited cardiac care system: among adults, 31% of annual mortality is cardiovascular-related, accounting for nearly 11,000 deaths annually. We estimate that there are approximately 1.5 million adults with acquired heart disease, 130,000 of whom live in Asunción. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2018/5/16/donor-spotlight-kay-parker monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1526498323468-EXKWIYVS1DC2DOGDO77U/Screen+Shot+2018-05-09+at+2.32.47+PM.png Blog - Donor Spotlight: “CHD Mom,” Kay Parker Transposition of the great arteries (TGA) occurs when the aorta is connected to the right ventricle, and the pulmonary artery is connected to the left ventricle — the opposite of a normal heart’s anatomy. TGA is fatal if not diagnosed and treated immediately (shortly after birth). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1526498394541-BMJ191QZTJA4IXFDLJBL/nilas+and+ben.png Blog - Donor Spotlight: “CHD Mom,” Kay Parker Heart to Heart Founder and Medical Director Dr. Nilas Young and heart patient Ben Parker pictured together at our 25th anniversary celebration in 2014. Dr. Young operated on Ben nearly three decades ago, at the same time he was establishing Heart to Heart. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2018/5/16/partner-spotlight-liliana-flor-alvarado-parraga-rn monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1526498700126-DTV5LHW3XV09BCHLVP8K/DSC_0260-600x402.jpg Blog - Partner spotlight: Liliana Flor Alvarado Parraga, RN Teamwork in the ICU Four members of INCOR’s pediatric cardiac intensive care nursing team stand in the intensive care unit where they care for dozens of patients affected by congenital heart disease each day. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2018/5/16/ebstein-anomaly-is-focus-of-our-fourth-visit-to-kaliningrad-federal-center monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1526499200864-EWZZY44BPOHPLWP2YWAT/DSC_0053-600x402.jpg Blog - Ebstein anomaly is focus of our fourth visit to Kaliningrad Federal Center Diagnosing Ebstein anomaly: Doctors Frank Cetta (center) and Joe Dearani (right) work with the local echosonographer to diagnose a young child as physicians from all over Russia look on. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2018/5/16/gaining-traction-in-our-new-collaboration-in-lima monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1526499643593-ZNW0DYA366MIQN45I6HW/DSC_0004-600x402.jpg Blog - Gaining traction in our new collaboration in Lima Clinical training in the operation room Dr. Laura Berenstain (anesthesiologist, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) demonstrates an approach to inserting an arterial line as the joint Heart to Heart-INCOR surgical team prepares a 16-month-old child for open heart surgery. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2018/5/16/progress-in-peru-our-third-training-mission-within-12-months monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1526500323898-AM4Y5HNHB791YMPIFNMV/IMG_4588-e1486755420788-1024x713.jpg Blog - Progress in Peru: our third training mission within 12 months Fighting heart disease, December 2016. Heart to Heart specialists provide advanced education and training to expand cardiac care in areas of need. This mission focused on the surgical and percutaneous treatment of congenital and valvular diseases. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2016/11/21/acs-honors-nilas-young monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1561048970675-SBDYDVIO0C7OPBGEU0T7/nilas-award-1024x601.png Blog - American College of Surgeons honors Dr. Nilas Young October 18, 2016, Washington, DC. Dr. Nilas Young receives the American College of Surgeons International Volunteerism Award for his outstanding accomplishments. Heart to Heart programs provide advanced cardiac education and training to help clinicians around the world provide care for their patients – from newborn babies to grandparents. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/vs-janet-simsic monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/otg-chelyabinsk monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/vs-nathan-taggart monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/pediatric-mission-incor-lima monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/in-memoriam-lisa-poppell monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1570737473672-HVNC0BMH6S88USGM27H6/8.jpg Blog - In memoriam: Lisa Poppell, RN https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1570737477007-XR92YNK96LUZEPARGJOC/28-09-12+R+H2H+060.jpg Blog - In memoriam: Lisa Poppell, RN https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1570737483735-20HKKSP5D4SNM0UFASUO/29-09-12+R+H2H+709.jpg Blog - In memoriam: Lisa Poppell, RN https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/vs-mark-cocalis monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/treating-complex-defects-in-kaliningrad monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1561062693190-X0VL5N4TU2QJ9PBDEL3R/team-cropped.jpg Blog - Treating complex defects in Kaliningrad https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/vs-brenda-jarvis monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/going-global-peru monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568849553017-58AEGGNRTP01OKAC1RPS/Peru+Beach+-+Milaflores.JPG Blog - Going Global: Site Assessment in Peru The Pacific Ocean meets the western border of Peru. The nation’s capital Lima (pictured here) is by far the most populous city - home to more than 10 million. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568849563175-RRIJQR9D2Z4CL1GHCRP4/INCOR+1.JPG Blog - Going Global: Site Assessment in Peru Our first stop was at INCOR in Lima, Peru. The Instituto Nacional Cardiovascular (INCOR) provides the most advanced cardiac care throughout the country and serves as a educational site, training the next generation of heart care specialists. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568849791999-RVNN5REV30JIYO75ISYU/Young+and+Britto.JPG Blog - Going Global: Site Assessment in Peru INCOR Director Dr. Frank Britto and Heart to Heart Founder & Medical Director Dr. Nilas Young meet to discuss the possibility of working together to strategically develop nationwide access to surgery for valvular and congenital heart disease. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568849765185-OLDVRJNDRSQMCW4U9RX1/Enzo%2C+4+years+old.JPG Blog - Going Global: Site Assessment in Peru Heart to Heart Executive Director, Josie Everett, visits with four-year-old patient Enzo. Each year, 6,000 children are born in Peru with congenital heart disease (CHD) - the majority need surgical intervention to avoid premature death. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568849598261-QQJC76132M3USLRJ20SG/Mariantonella%2C+Fontan+Patient+1.JPG Blog - Going Global: Site Assessment in Peru Surgical candidate Mariantonella, a CHD patient, needs a Fontan procedure. Heart to Heart exists to develop new teams of heart specialists to save thousands of pediatric heart patients like Mariantonella who are waiting for life-saving treatment. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/getting-started-in-chelyabinsk monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/the-road-to-self-sustainability monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/honored-for-advancing-medicine monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/2014/5/20/volunteer-spotlight-olesya-dushkova monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/sharing-experience-saving-lives monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/putting-children-first monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/our-new-partner-site-in-russia monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/meet-our-new-board-member-dr-cetta monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/in+memoriam monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/frank+cetta monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/video monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/peru monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/blog monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/guatemala monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/surgical+educational+mission monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/torreon monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/kaliningrad monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/award monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/paraguay monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/on+the+ground monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/site+assessment monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/partner+spotlight monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/lima monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/volunteer+spotlight monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/armenia monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/2019 monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/2018 monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/mexico monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/2017 monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/into+the+heartland monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/going+global monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/adult monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/interview monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/blog/tag/chelyabinsk monthly 0.5 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/about-us daily 0.75 2025-06-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621454852871-PS8OH237DBY35MEBKPXW/2021whoweare.png About Us Heart to Heart Global Cardiac Care is a 501(c)3 volunteer-driven charity organization, led by a governing board of directors and enhanced by the expertise of highly-experienced medical advisory council members. Board members provide organizational oversight, ensuring continuous programmatic, financial, and legal accountability. Medical advisory council members analyze year-to-year surgical outcomes from each of our partner sites and offer viable, next-step recommendations to ensure progress toward self-sustainability. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621454852871-PS8OH237DBY35MEBKPXW/2021whoweare.png https://www.heart-2-heart.org/press daily 0.75 2021-10-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555705552884-213OY5KF1MZIATXDQIVB/video-incor-lima-tavr-thumb.jpg Press - Video coverage of January 2016 Mission to Lima Video coverage of January 2016 Mission to Lima https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555705552633-993TZM00QU1CBQNI1Q2L/C2015-thumb1.jpg Press - News Coverage of 2015 Mission to Chelyabinsk News Coverage of 2015 Mission to Chelyabinsk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555705552724-D3JKLYSQ055X94OE13SJ/K2014-thumb1.jpg Press - News Coverage of 2014 Mission to Kaliningrad https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555705494328-EUBYLUYH3ZHDKWSMU7X1/mrt-thumb-large.jpg Press - CHD Awareness Week celebrates medical success story https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555705311106-YLS5TZNND5TAJIWK8XZ1/Bay-Area-Focus.jpg Press - Heart to Heart on Bay Area Focus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555705311648-GFV1PZNW78V7C4WQRM5Q/Rostov-on-Don-2012-subbed1.jpg Press - News Coverage of 2012 Mission to Rostov-on-Don https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555705312713-4F3H7OF7YO7TBTNS6VW3/Tomsk-2012-subbed1.jpg Press - News Coverage of 2012 Final Mission to Tomsk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555711597650-TRSGBW8PLQWPDXJMYGAA/KCRA-3-2012-thumb-1.png Press - KCRA 3 News: World of Children 2012 Health Award goes to Dr. Nilas Young Heart to Heart Founder & Medical Director Dr. Nilas Young has been honored by the World of Children Award as a “changemaker who has dramatically improved the lives of children around the world” and for “innovating life-changing nonprofit initiatives benefitting the world’s most vulnerable children.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555705419370-UJAB6GZ8ZO924S8UW6U7/KRON-4-2009-thumb2.png Press - Heart to Heart coverage on KRON 4 Morning News https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555705312393-4J2J5V0CRPCW1X86ACH9/SacBee-2009-thumb-large.jpg Press - The Sacramento Bee https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555705311380-OGV8EHXEZVGCXZAO8UGD/oakland-tribune.jpg Press - Snapp Shots: A mission with heart https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555705373913-4L88GLSZGJVV8KWD3I9M/KGO-2008-thumb-large.jpg Press - Heart to Heart medical volunteer Dr. Gary Raff on KGO Radio 810 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555705310833-T1A9V55XPR6YTMD8NW86/60-Minutes-2002-comp-thumb.png Press - CBS News 60 Minutes in St. Petersburg with Heart to Heart https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555705312073-TKYFHHSSQ3PDJTLVR1WW/Pravda-1990-thumb-large.jpg Press - USA – USSR: Heart to Heart in Pravda https://www.heart-2-heart.org/photos-and-videos daily 0.75 2025-06-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/134d87b4-88b4-4006-87af-e2ff90dd5246/cetta+echo+fontan.jpg Photos & Videos - Costa Rica Medical Training Mission https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/a2f28085-130b-42aa-8085-02f478deb21a/beach.jpg Photos & Videos - Costa Rica Site Assessment https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1569011252439-E3FNNRJPWHFGSHX9M3I0/photo+1.JPG Photos & Videos - Exploratory Mission to Asuncion https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1569011315029-8V15U5XSQYLD2TOCH100/IMG_8385.JPG Photos & Videos - Exploratory Mission to Torreon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1551224269101-HZLNGKJ2FC8ES1BVKNAR/21994447_10155505810868382_2098786860462124627_o.jpg Photos & Videos - Kaliningrad Surgical-Educational Mission 4 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553204789691-PYVG1J5YY06TVJL44PTE/19944277_10155291915763382_995563990850064743_o.jpg Photos & Videos - Lima Surgical-Educational Mission 4 Santiago was one of many children who were operated on during the latest trip in Lima. INCOR families had to wait as their children underwent life-changing procedures. A 3- to 4-hour operation saves the life of child with a VSD and, for many parents, these hours can feel like eternity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1551224361042-YUAABJPBXQXW1COHQBMD/IMG_4517.jpg Photos & Videos - Lima Surgical-Educational Mission 3 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568850059693-3ELGAWXKZ6WG5WZ9MZC7/lima2featured.jpg Photos & Videos - Lima Surgical-Educational Mission 2 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1551223646713-FTM3L96IS9LS5K99JC75/DSC_4826.jpg Photos & Videos - 25th Anniversary https://www.heart-2-heart.org/trip-reports daily 0.75 2024-09-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1753735472050-M4LMRPLLWNJXKFCWWX9J/IMG_8021.png Trip Reports - San Jose, Costa Rica 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1743010733278-66NUK2QM537W9W84BWUM/4c663a2a-ca51-498d-818c-f5ef098ef331.jpg Trip Reports - San Jose, Costa Rica 2024 (Adult) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/936f972e-d5bb-40b0-bc3b-2805db580b2d/IMG_6456+%281%29.JPG Trip Reports - San Jose, Costa Rica 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1702058130854-C42UM4PQXJ5EC45XZYXQ/IMG_3944.jpg Trip Reports - San Jose, Costa Rica 2023 (Adult) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/40c80c5a-797a-428e-9229-b5e52828a7c9/IMG_1761.JPG Trip Reports - San Jose, Costa Rica 2022-2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/4c236ad9-435e-48dd-845d-35d21e61cb5f/CR+Program+Report+2021-2022.png Trip Reports - San Jose, Costa Rica 2021-2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/4c236ad9-435e-48dd-845d-35d21e61cb5f/CR+Program+Report+2021-2022.png Trip Reports - San José, Costa Rica 2021-2022 (español) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555970502068-RSYPYFD8ZVRRDUNA9Z0S/IMG_4936.jpg Trip Reports - Kaliningrad, Russia 2017 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555970452377-2N0D1TR7J8NHU781ZPQB/lima2017.jpg Trip Reports - Lima, Peru 2017 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555970483271-M7PO9KX9J6UAJE39MBDQ/lima2016.jpg Trip Reports - Lima, Peru 2016 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555971444006-URECAHEBVA822N19LH03/chely.jpg Trip Reports - Chelyabinsk, Russia 2016 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555971758389-6FTQ9Q25F2BLP1QNHVBQ/Screen+Shot+2019-04-22+at+3.18.32+PM.png Trip Reports - Chelyabinsk, Russia 2015 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555970792823-9IQ4FV7A5PLDJE4N5D82/Screen+Shot+2019-04-22+at+3.06.22+PM.png Trip Reports - Kaliningrad, Russia 2014 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555971403953-6XOBS6EE95XN21RATDPE/kaliningrad+2013.jpg Trip Reports - Kaliningrad, Russia 2013 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555970348412-5UA2NJPJN2ISA7SXZH52/Ginko+work.jpg Trip Reports - Rostov-on-Don, Russia 2012 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555970037254-64HI19IGKHD8JF9O0ISC/tomsk2012.jpg Trip Reports - Tomsk, Russia 2012 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555970254599-X07TVY31HIBC2X0P1LTK/Page+1+Cetta+high-res.jpg Trip Reports - Tomsk, Russia 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555970418852-HHM4GWBPA0HNXKMGO964/rostov2011.jpg Trip Reports - Rostov-on-Don, Russia 2011 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/lizbeth-hasse daily 0.75 2025-04-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621892004272-92L5NTIBRRDIEKPTZ8KZ/LizbethHasse_30yrs_OL.png Lizbeth Hasse https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621892004272-92L5NTIBRRDIEKPTZ8KZ/LizbethHasse_30yrs_OL.png Lizbeth Hasse https://www.heart-2-heart.org/keith-flachsbart daily 0.75 2025-09-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/472038d1-0bc1-4554-9f04-f87698a17425/Keith+Flachsbart+Board+Bio.png Keith Flachsbart https://www.heart-2-heart.org/nilas-young daily 0.75 2025-07-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/50e9c543-9d22-4c80-8f46-71483869f317/Nilas+Young+Board+Bio+35yrs.png Nilas Young https://www.heart-2-heart.org/erik-holland daily 0.75 2022-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/5e290acf-1809-4016-b291-70f1a2b65f6d/Erik+Holland+Board+Bio.png Erik Holland - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/5e290acf-1809-4016-b291-70f1a2b65f6d/Erik+Holland+Board+Bio.png Erik Holland - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/gary-raff-kgo-810 daily 0.75 2019-10-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555620314197-3VT4FOBQ70WHRQUQRO13/garyraff.jpg Gary Raff KGO 810 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555620314197-3VT4FOBQ70WHRQUQRO13/garyraff.jpg Gary Raff KGO 810 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/heart-to-heart-coverage-on-kron-4-morning-news daily 0.75 2019-04-18 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/ussr-pravda daily 0.75 2019-04-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555706246821-VOCNGUGJMSOGNUX4BYQW/Saint+Petersburg+1990%2C+USA-USSR+From+Heart+to+Heart++%28Dr.+Higashino%2C+JoAnn+McGowan+%26+Masha+Senotova%29%2C+Pravda+1.31.1990+Low+Resolution%2C+Russian.jpg USA – USSR: Heart to Heart in Pravda https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555706246821-VOCNGUGJMSOGNUX4BYQW/Saint+Petersburg+1990%2C+USA-USSR+From+Heart+to+Heart++%28Dr.+Higashino%2C+JoAnn+McGowan+%26+Masha+Senotova%29%2C+Pravda+1.31.1990+Low+Resolution%2C+Russian.jpg USA – USSR: Heart to Heart in Pravda https://www.heart-2-heart.org/news-coverage-of-2012-mission-to-rostovondon daily 0.75 2019-04-19 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/news-coverage-of-2012-final-mission-to-tomsk daily 0.75 2019-04-19 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/news-coverage-of-2014-mission-to-kaliningrad daily 0.75 2019-04-19 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/sacramento-bee daily 0.75 2019-04-19 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https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555706655307-ZW7G38GANTV8QB7QJ9I2/KGO-2008-thumb-large.jpg Heart to Heart medical volunteer Dr. Gary Raff on KGO Radio 810 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/video-coverage-of-january-2016-mission-to-lima daily 0.75 2021-10-08 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/woca-award daily 0.75 2019-09-27 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/bay-area-focus daily 0.75 2019-04-19 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/cbs-news-60-minutes-in-st-petersburg-with-heart-to-heart daily 0.75 2020-02-22 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/chd-awareness-week-celebrates-medical-success-story daily 0.75 2019-04-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555714038817-WBX8LJQZDWFD71WO9VUX/General%2B2015%252C%2BCHD%2BAwareness%2BWeek%2Bcelebrates%2Bmedical%2Bsuccess%2Bstory%252C%2BMRT%252C%2B2.10.2015.jpg CHD Awareness Week celebrates medical success story https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555714011330-A0BII6FNP3H3QWFGW3OH/3.jpg CHD Awareness Week celebrates medical success story https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555714038817-WBX8LJQZDWFD71WO9VUX/General%2B2015%252C%2BCHD%2BAwareness%2BWeek%2Bcelebrates%2Bmedical%2Bsuccess%2Bstory%252C%2BMRT%252C%2B2.10.2015.jpg CHD Awareness Week celebrates medical success story https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555714011330-A0BII6FNP3H3QWFGW3OH/3.jpg CHD Awareness Week celebrates medical success story https://www.heart-2-heart.org/oakland-tribune daily 0.75 2019-04-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555708796477-HX12WJ0WWRLQ4CUJ6W20/Oakland%2BTribune.jpg Oakland Tribune https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555708484380-RRDEX5N11VOTJX64F0YE/Oakland%252BTribune2.jpg Oakland Tribune https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555708796477-HX12WJ0WWRLQ4CUJ6W20/Oakland%2BTribune.jpg Oakland Tribune https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555708484380-RRDEX5N11VOTJX64F0YE/Oakland%252BTribune2.jpg Oakland Tribune https://www.heart-2-heart.org/shalu-saluja daily 0.75 2025-07-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/b6578c2d-76e1-48e8-928d-1b8339d91876/Shalu+Saluja+Board+Bio+5yrs.png Shalu Saluja https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/b6578c2d-76e1-48e8-928d-1b8339d91876/Shalu+Saluja+Board+Bio+5yrs.png Shalu Saluja https://www.heart-2-heart.org/25-anniversary daily 0.75 2020-07-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557353015507-Z8Q9JJD16GS2ZY8ADPBP/DSC_4834.jpg 25th Anniversary - Celebrating Heart to Heart's First 25 Years Long-time supporters, medical volunteers and other Heart to Heartniks gather to celebrate and reflect on the impact of our humanitarian work. Dr. Nilas Young, Heart to Heart’s founder, shares with guests our vision for the future: Going Global. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557352713700-FB0YHAS5L0G50BUU5GWC/DSC_4826.jpg 25th Anniversary - Shalu & Hersh Saluja: Hosts with Real Heart The Salujas have supported Heart to Heart for more than fifteen years, including funding three internships, hosting cocktail receptions, and making ongoing financial contributions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557352130688-8LEUYW3VC9OVW15JNQ70/DSC_4815.jpg 25th Anniversary - A Party with a Purpose In keeping with the evening’s international theme, guests are treated to an Indian Feast, from naan to chai. Veteran volunteers and newer friends of Heart to Heart enjoy camaraderie while sharing family style dinner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557351978423-91IQRAWEJ7HXOULYWSCH/DSC_4902.jpg 25th Anniversary - Shalu Saluja Welcomes Guests Shalu opens her heart as well as her home, telling her family’s personal story about receiving life-saving heart care. To give back, the Salujas support our surgical-educational missions. All told, the Saluja’s financial contributions have given more than 300 children a second chance of life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557357750956-MEXSNPJQRUUE36YZY2F8/DSC_4861.jpg 25th Anniversary - Rose Glickman, PhD with Nilas Young, MD Rose, a retired professor of Russian history, has volunteered on more than a dozen missions – conducting personal interviews in Russian with patient families throughout Russia’s heartland. Her patient stories give voice to the realities and hopes of children, parents, and doctors fighting heart disease. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557354904268-PCZR3UHR86BT64LPN30Q/DSC_4897.jpg 25th Anniversary - Master of Ceremonies Michelle Griego We are thrilled to welcome CBS anchorwoman Michelle Griego to the Heart to Heart family. Her national compassion and humor give a warm tone fo the evening’s festivities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557353689295-54ZWTM5HWQRYNKAQULKB/DSC_4850.jpg 25th Anniversary - Mike and Karen O'Brien, PhD Karen joined our governing board this year, bringing to the organization her nonprofit leadership skills and extensive knowledge of Russia. Her fluency in Russian has already proven valuable on our two most recent surgical-educational missions to Kaliningrad. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557354005102-JRPRHPCQN2UG4BDAALVG/DSC_4858.jpg 25th Anniversary - Alyson Kuhn and Sheri Kuniyuki Consultants Alyson (writing and editing) and Sheri (graphic design) have worked with Heart to Heart for nearly a decade. They have been key in evolving our increasingly effective messaging and communications materials. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557357805951-6ISOKL1ZS63H5ZK1KAPW/DSC_4894.jpg 25th Anniversary - Nilas Young, MD and Jennifer Osborne Share a Moment Jennifer and her family are longtime fans of Heart to Heart. Their foundation has sponsored fundraising events, and their family has hosted many guests visiting from Russia. Jennifer and teenaged son Dylan joined Nilas on a mission to St. Petersburg in 2007. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557354336092-SJDR7JVF5EOFDQ0FEARH/DSC_4866.jpg 25th Anniversary - Frank Cetta, Md and Lynn Graham, RN Board member Frank and medical volunteer Lynn flew across the country to celebrate with us. Both continue to play key roles in educating and training new cardiac specialists throughout the heartland of Russia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557354618206-LQMKDN0AB0BIFNKW5KSA/DSC_4887.jpg 25th Anniversary - Reunion of the Grand Old Guard Volunteers from our years of work in St. Petersburg – Heart to Heart’s first self-sustaining program – share memories and stories of surgical-educational missions in Communist Russia. Shown here (l. to r.): Rob May, Rose LaMarte, RN; Rich masterson; and Judy May. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557354078158-H61OMZK5ROV6PPC7OSJ3/DSC_4860.jpg 25th Anniversary - Terri Burke with Executive Director Josie Everett Terri joined our governing board this year. Her global marketing expertise will provide valuable insights as Heart to Heart transitions to reach heart patients on additional continents. Josie and Terri discovered a shared enthusiasm for the advancement of cardiac medicine globally at an international conference in 2013. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557357780395-YVQ6G1Q1HVY8KSMF9175/DSC_4886.jpg 25th Anniversary - Hersh Saluja with Steve Holland Steve Holland, chairman of our governing board, received a standing ovation in honor of his commitment, loyalty, and effective leadership. Steve is stepping down after serving as chairman for 15 years. During his tenure, more than 15,000 children were saved by Heart to Heart-trained cardiac specialists. Bolshoe spasibo, Steve! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557356511032-CNWD4P1VFWGJVBVS1LOM/DSC_4950.jpg 25th Anniversary - Lizbeth Hasse: Legal Counsel and Founding Board Member Liz has served as pro bono general counsel since the inception of the organization. She travelled with our first medical team to Leningrad in 1990. Liz and her firm, Creative Industry Law Group, continue to offer wise advice and invaluable legal services that provide a solid framework for Heart to Heart’s growth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557356306086-8TZUTZBQD764DIGUJ5WY/DSC_4941.jpg 25th Anniversary - Longtime Supporter Alex Osborne Alex listens to Heart to Heart board members as they reflect on teaching doctors to save children’s lives. Through his family foundation, Alex provides financial support for our volunteers to train more heart specialists and reach more children. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557355852747-NO1VFM4XP7W5C0SDZAKC/DSC_4926.jpg 25th Anniversary - Tatyana Kovalenko-Narochnitskaya Tatyana is the wife of Russian Consul Alexey Kovalenko-Narochnitskiy. Over the years, the Russian Consulate in San Francisco has secured gratis visas for hundreds of our medical volunteers. The Consulate has also hosted events for Heart to Heart, including intimate dinner parties at the private residence of the Consul General. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557356367241-1QI2UGHK5HI3HHY6VEOV/DSC_4944.jpg 25th Anniversary - Founder Nilas Young, MD Shares His Global Vision Five years ago, in our 20th anniversary video, Nilas looked ahead to the completion of our work in Russia and the prospect of “packing our bags and going home.” Instead we are ready to pack our bags and Go Global. Join us on the next six slides to get an overview of the need for heart care around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557356698230-W2LX18EJZ4RJ6DCZY572/DSC_4967.jpg 25th Anniversary - Russian Consul Alexey Kovalenko-Narochnitskiy In response to Heart to Heart’s anniversary video documenting our work with Russian children, Consul Alexey asks for the floor to share his heartfelt thoughts about the importance of giving a global neighbor a hand up. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557353879259-QKA6SC5YYVLH8CQS3Z7R/DSC_4854.jpg 25th Anniversary - Special Thanks to our Hosts To Shalu and Hersh Saluja, we raise our glasses in appreciation of your formidable ongoing support – both spiritual and financial – for more than 15 years. Our heartfelt thanks to you! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557356900068-X9MMY0612PVMEDQSYQWC/DSC_4990.jpg 25th Anniversary - Thoughtful Stewards: Our Board of Directors Our hands-on board works year round to ensure good governance, continuous progress on mission, and meaningful return on donor investment. Back: Karen O’Brien, Steve Holland, Terri Burke, Frank Cetta. Front: Keith Flachsbart, Lizbeth Hasse, Josie Everett, Lisa Suennen, Nilas Young. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/privacy-policy daily 0.75 2022-04-21 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/veronikas-story daily 0.75 2021-10-06 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/going-global daily 0.75 2024-09-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621460286180-KQPWY2RWBTA5586Y0GDF/goingglobalmap.png Going Global Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593565111889-3A4IFYCUZBKWD4UJMZ5D/1.png Going Global Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1607361760064-QQNUXAGBT33ZD5ZL7LAG/going+global+icons.png Going Global Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593565147783-IAA16PDAXJBKZ4TEHG2Y/5.png Going Global Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593565124013-O3X7YKQ08Y4I7TGT1UGD/2.png Going Global Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593565150536-82IQAZ4P1UREFJUVRZLU/6.png Going Global Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593565132732-OP2OYNZ8CY7X1P830UEC/3.png Going Global Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621460286180-KQPWY2RWBTA5586Y0GDF/goingglobalmap.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593565111889-3A4IFYCUZBKWD4UJMZ5D/1.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593565147783-IAA16PDAXJBKZ4TEHG2Y/5.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593565150536-82IQAZ4P1UREFJUVRZLU/6.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/328e45d0-56a4-4b53-8c2d-f754dc12b892/going%2Bglobal%2Bicons.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593565124013-O3X7YKQ08Y4I7TGT1UGD/2.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593565132732-OP2OYNZ8CY7X1P830UEC/3.png https://www.heart-2-heart.org/rostov-on-don daily 0.75 2026-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1564696487635-HBTUEWQBBQEISDV5IQT4/DSC_2266.JPG Rostov-on-Don Rostov-on-Don is culturally sophisticated, with a rich tradition of art and literature. The city has various monuments throughout, dedicated to famous poets and writers. In 2010, the region hosted celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Anton Chekhov, a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short fiction in history. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621464803860-1C3U6YQ4XWOMA722JCGX/Rostov.png Rostov-on-Don https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594951980862-Y31TUF2KVIQ5DY0C24ZR/blog2.jpg Rostov-on-Don Blog: Sharing experience, saving lives (2014) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1564697113458-8IHK87TEO7ENSN06CFL8/Lisa%2Band%2Bbaby.jpg Rostov-on-Don Trip Report: Fourth surgical-educational mission to Rostov-on-Don (2012) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594952042123-FT1JN1T2WYZQYCU9OMC4/rostov1.jpg Rostov-on-Don Photo Gallery: Rostov-on-Don Surgical-Educational Mission 4 (2012) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594951847035-USZ709J7FDKPMUUPMRKS/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-07-16%2Bat%2B7.10.15%2BPM.jpg Rostov-on-Don Video: Fourth surgical-educational mission to Rostov-on-Don (2012) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591833466645-ODJE5W5HYFSITEH5RASH/rostov2011tripreportcover.jpg Rostov-on-Don Trip Report: Third surgical-educational mission to Rostov-on-Don (2011) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593715755036-TX4AFZM5609LLGIXG8ZC/Fyodor%2BK.jpg Rostov-on-Don Photo Gallery: Third surgical-educational mission to Rostov-on-Don (2011) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591833593839-D9PHPY2XMZF0VKLIW2HF/DSC_2330.jpg Rostov-on-Don Trip Report: Second surgical-educational mission to Rostov-on-Don (2010) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1595612603046-2F11ETQAOTVTZRG4S2MO/Olga%252BS.jpg Rostov-on-Don Patient Narrative: Olga (2010) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593716752349-00IORXD6UHV7ZN3POFJZ/Kseniya.jpg Rostov-on-Don Patient Narrative: Kseniya (2010) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591833976010-S9JHXTMVT7GTJ9KCGLNZ/H2H%2BR%2B%2B1431.jpg Rostov-on-Don Trip Report: First surgical-educational mission to Rostov-on-Don (2009) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1564696487635-HBTUEWQBBQEISDV5IQT4/DSC_2266.JPG Rostov-on-Don Rostov-on-Don is culturally sophisticated, with a rich tradition of art and literature. The city has various monuments throughout, dedicated to famous poets and writers. In 2010, the region hosted celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Anton Chekhov, a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short fiction in history. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621464803860-1C3U6YQ4XWOMA722JCGX/Rostov.png Rostov-on-Don https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594951980862-Y31TUF2KVIQ5DY0C24ZR/blog2.jpg Rostov-on-Don Blog: Sharing experience, saving lives (2014) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1564697113458-8IHK87TEO7ENSN06CFL8/Lisa%2Band%2Bbaby.jpg Rostov-on-Don Trip Report: Fourth surgical-educational mission to Rostov-on-Don (2012) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594952042123-FT1JN1T2WYZQYCU9OMC4/rostov1.jpg Rostov-on-Don Photo Gallery: Rostov-on-Don Surgical-Educational Mission 4 (2012) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594951847035-USZ709J7FDKPMUUPMRKS/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-07-16%2Bat%2B7.10.15%2BPM.jpg Rostov-on-Don Video: Fourth surgical-educational mission to Rostov-on-Don (2012) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591833466645-ODJE5W5HYFSITEH5RASH/rostov2011tripreportcover.jpg Rostov-on-Don Trip Report: Third surgical-educational mission to Rostov-on-Don (2011) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593715755036-TX4AFZM5609LLGIXG8ZC/Fyodor%2BK.jpg Rostov-on-Don Photo Gallery: Third surgical-educational mission to Rostov-on-Don (2011) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591833593839-D9PHPY2XMZF0VKLIW2HF/DSC_2330.jpg Rostov-on-Don Trip Report: Second surgical-educational mission to Rostov-on-Don (2010) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1595612603046-2F11ETQAOTVTZRG4S2MO/Olga%252BS.jpg Rostov-on-Don Patient Narrative: Olga (2010) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593716752349-00IORXD6UHV7ZN3POFJZ/Kseniya.jpg Rostov-on-Don Patient Narrative: Kseniya (2010) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591833976010-S9JHXTMVT7GTJ9KCGLNZ/H2H%2BR%2B%2B1431.jpg Rostov-on-Don Trip Report: First surgical-educational mission to Rostov-on-Don (2009) https://www.heart-2-heart.org/into-the-heartland daily 0.75 2023-12-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621460314772-KI961UJPMAVF8M43JQ6F/2021ithmap.png Into the Heartland Campaign MISSION To give every baby and child in Russia access to life-saving heart care by developing a network of six self-sustaining pediatric cardiac centers of excellence throughout the heartland of the Russian Federation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593563785936-3NOLFTHRK2R41E0NA92L/1.png Into the Heartland Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593563794571-QT9X4Y797P1BQ5HOVSMV/2.png Into the Heartland Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593563791049-50W7ZZ75FQIW89QJP5B5/3.png Into the Heartland Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593563805455-LTYBTXY0S0W0B1CCY02W/4.png Into the Heartland Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593563802364-VXUT9WMKG1LS7PHUA3E4/5.png Into the Heartland Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593563805040-TI769FLMMZKHCVDMNLTZ/6.png Into the Heartland Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621460314772-KI961UJPMAVF8M43JQ6F/2021ithmap.png Into the Heartland Campaign MISSION To give every baby and child in Russia access to life-saving heart care by developing a network of six self-sustaining pediatric cardiac centers of excellence throughout the heartland of the Russian Federation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593563785936-3NOLFTHRK2R41E0NA92L/1.png Into the Heartland Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593563794571-QT9X4Y797P1BQ5HOVSMV/2.png Into the Heartland Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593563791049-50W7ZZ75FQIW89QJP5B5/3.png Into the Heartland Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593563805455-LTYBTXY0S0W0B1CCY02W/4.png Into the Heartland Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593563802364-VXUT9WMKG1LS7PHUA3E4/5.png Into the Heartland Campaign https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593563805040-TI769FLMMZKHCVDMNLTZ/6.png Into the Heartland Campaign https://www.heart-2-heart.org/kaliningrad daily 0.75 2026-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1564694541670-GKYYZL7LFKCYOE4Z5QC9/DSC_0277.jpg Kaliningrad https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1564692942761-HM1PP82FWIEQQC5S3BDV/P1070257.jpg Kaliningrad KALININGRAD, RUSSIA’S EXCLAVE The Kaliningrad region is about half the size of Rhode Island. It is an exclave, completely separated from Russia geographically, surrounded by Poland to the south, Lithuania to the north and east, and the Baltic Sea to the northwest. Roughly a million people live in the region, half of whom reside in Kaliningrad city proper. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621464723624-6IZR73A4PTIVYYETYZIC/Kaliningrad.png Kaliningrad https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593711965307-RWWZKNYB16OZLR6NAKRK/DSC_0198.jpg Kaliningrad Video: Veronika’s Story (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592608243928-MQJTGUN8AQEWC5PKIP2B/IMG_4935.jpg Kaliningrad Trip Report: Fourth surgical-educational mission to Kaliningrad (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592608477335-OQQQDYFBDZ4RSHD3HCUT/DSC_0053-600x402.jpg Kaliningrad Blog: Ebstein anomaly is focus of our fourth visit to Kaliningrad Federal Center (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593712268412-FQ9F64CJJL0B6K6WMBDM/21994447_10155505810868382_2098786860462124627_o-1.jpg Kaliningrad Photo Gallery: Fourth surgical-educational mission to Kaliningrad (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1595541064359-0GF8KOKZO3WRORZE08KI/leonid-web-600x402.jpg Kaliningrad Blog: Treating complex defects in Kaliningrad (2015) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592608402307-293CD0CAIYKXS4UZEOLR/Lecturing+and+Teaching+2014-14.jpg Kaliningrad Trip Report: Second surgical-educational mission to Kaliningrad (2014) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592957726782-B2AXQ4WNI1EVS11IMZ2Z/2014%2BAttendees%2B2-2.jpg Kaliningrad Video: Second surgical-educational mission to Kaliningrad (2014) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592955738265-E52QGK1C7NSLZR9ADTR1/valery-320x202-320x202.jpg Kaliningrad Video: An Interview with Valery (2013) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592955621463-BPNUKXTSG19M44BBD9XP/Katya%252B1.jpg Kaliningrad Patient Narrative: Katya’s Story (2013) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593712731629-TZDGYQ0O5B6VGXM3YBYW/2013%2BKaliningrad%2BOR%252C%2BTeaching-3.jpg Kaliningrad Trip Report: First surgical-educational mission to Kaliningrad (2013) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1564694541670-GKYYZL7LFKCYOE4Z5QC9/DSC_0277.jpg Kaliningrad https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1564692942761-HM1PP82FWIEQQC5S3BDV/P1070257.jpg Kaliningrad KALININGRAD, RUSSIA’S EXCLAVE The Kaliningrad region is about half the size of Rhode Island. It is an exclave, completely separated from Russia geographically, surrounded by Poland to the south, Lithuania to the north and east, and the Baltic Sea to the northwest. Roughly a million people live in the region, half of whom reside in Kaliningrad city proper. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621464723624-6IZR73A4PTIVYYETYZIC/Kaliningrad.png Kaliningrad https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593711965307-RWWZKNYB16OZLR6NAKRK/DSC_0198.jpg Kaliningrad Video: Veronika’s Story (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592608243928-MQJTGUN8AQEWC5PKIP2B/IMG_4935.jpg Kaliningrad Trip Report: Fourth surgical-educational mission to Kaliningrad (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592608477335-OQQQDYFBDZ4RSHD3HCUT/DSC_0053-600x402.jpg Kaliningrad Blog: Ebstein anomaly is focus of our fourth visit to Kaliningrad Federal Center (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593712268412-FQ9F64CJJL0B6K6WMBDM/21994447_10155505810868382_2098786860462124627_o-1.jpg Kaliningrad Photo Gallery: Fourth surgical-educational mission to Kaliningrad (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1595541064359-0GF8KOKZO3WRORZE08KI/leonid-web-600x402.jpg Kaliningrad Blog: Treating complex defects in Kaliningrad (2015) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592608402307-293CD0CAIYKXS4UZEOLR/Lecturing+and+Teaching+2014-14.jpg Kaliningrad Trip Report: Second surgical-educational mission to Kaliningrad (2014) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592957726782-B2AXQ4WNI1EVS11IMZ2Z/2014%2BAttendees%2B2-2.jpg Kaliningrad Video: Second surgical-educational mission to Kaliningrad (2014) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592955738265-E52QGK1C7NSLZR9ADTR1/valery-320x202-320x202.jpg Kaliningrad Video: An Interview with Valery (2013) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592955621463-BPNUKXTSG19M44BBD9XP/Katya%252B1.jpg Kaliningrad Patient Narrative: Katya’s Story (2013) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593712731629-TZDGYQ0O5B6VGXM3YBYW/2013%2BKaliningrad%2BOR%252C%2BTeaching-3.jpg Kaliningrad Trip Report: First surgical-educational mission to Kaliningrad (2013) https://www.heart-2-heart.org/lima-peru daily 0.75 2021-10-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1600374364515-7SJU1S4W9V5ERNRC9N56/image-asset.jpeg Lima, Peru https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1564603807147-9FMOAJ564S2YGRM61KR8/DSC_0171.JPG Lima, Peru https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603227957731-WGC7ZBDWQTLNPVL6TVJI/perustampnew.png Lima, Peru https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1600376028165-PQZTYM53XFT0G4GHUZ8O/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-04-12%2Bat%2B4.51.20%2BPM.jpg Lima, Peru Patient Story: Jack (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1600376049613-WTPGZQYNBWD7XKKWRHTB/DSC_0210_edit.jpg Lima, Peru Photo Gallery: Exploratory Surgical Mission 4 (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1600376135043-51QQWOQJSEI50E1LQULE/DSC_0242.jpg Lima, Peru Blog Post: Gaining traction in our new collaboration in Lima (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1600376087664-00167M4LW43EPK9AS1A8/DSC_0731.jpg Lima, Peru Partner Spotlight: Liliana Flor Alvarado Parraga, RN (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603227107848-OPR5SBEDO8P0RO01FBEW/IMG_4671.jpg Lima, Peru Patient Story: Juanita (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1600376156573-MKATCBIWHM7WTWQEMRDS/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-09-17%2Bat%2B1.39.29%2BPM.jpg Lima, Peru Video: Advancing Heart Care in Peru (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1600376099509-VJ3EXTUETEB8ZXG7ATP1/IMG_0985.jpg Lima, Peru Blog Post: Second pediatric team in Lima (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603228099150-5LA9JAMH3BIBDPATG4O9/Gian%2BFranco.jpg Lima, Peru Patient Story: Gian Franco (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603228550960-BHU9U3MACQ2GBSZDD9ON/0630LIMA.jpg Lima, Peru Trip Report: Lima (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1600376118008-2YFTW24ZN2YOFCEEBT1C/INCOR+1.JPG Lima, Peru Blog Post: Going Global: Site Assessment in Peru (2015) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1600374364515-7SJU1S4W9V5ERNRC9N56/image-asset.jpeg Lima, Peru https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1564603807147-9FMOAJ564S2YGRM61KR8/DSC_0171.JPG Lima, Peru https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603227957731-WGC7ZBDWQTLNPVL6TVJI/perustampnew.png Lima, Peru https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1600376028165-PQZTYM53XFT0G4GHUZ8O/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-04-12%2Bat%2B4.51.20%2BPM.jpg Lima, Peru Patient Story: Jack (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1600376049613-WTPGZQYNBWD7XKKWRHTB/DSC_0210_edit.jpg Lima, Peru Photo Gallery: Exploratory Surgical Mission 4 (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1600376135043-51QQWOQJSEI50E1LQULE/DSC_0242.jpg Lima, Peru Blog Post: Gaining traction in our new collaboration in Lima (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1600376087664-00167M4LW43EPK9AS1A8/DSC_0731.jpg Lima, Peru Partner Spotlight: Liliana Flor Alvarado Parraga, RN (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603227107848-OPR5SBEDO8P0RO01FBEW/IMG_4671.jpg Lima, Peru Patient Story: Juanita (2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1600376156573-MKATCBIWHM7WTWQEMRDS/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-09-17%2Bat%2B1.39.29%2BPM.jpg Lima, Peru Video: Advancing Heart Care in Peru (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1600376099509-VJ3EXTUETEB8ZXG7ATP1/IMG_0985.jpg Lima, Peru Blog Post: Second pediatric team in Lima (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603228099150-5LA9JAMH3BIBDPATG4O9/Gian%2BFranco.jpg Lima, Peru Patient Story: Gian Franco (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603228550960-BHU9U3MACQ2GBSZDD9ON/0630LIMA.jpg Lima, Peru Trip Report: Lima (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1600376118008-2YFTW24ZN2YOFCEEBT1C/INCOR+1.JPG Lima, Peru Blog Post: Going Global: Site Assessment in Peru (2015) https://www.heart-2-heart.org/samara daily 0.75 2026-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1564698766572-9FPWQXIW7E07GNW3GUJH/H2H%2BS%2B%2B0582.jpg Samara https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1567806026470-LLVNB1OET56F3WP0ZMYE/H2H+S++044.jpg Samara https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621465032375-TN80CZ4OYFG39JYXF5RU/Samara.png Samara https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591227578559-PPTKFGXV1VCKWLUB2NHN/Samara+2009+Trip+Report Samara Trip Report: 2009 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591227633047-SNAYVOUVOIE62YE9N1EE/Samara+Trip+Report+2008 Samara Trip Report: 2008 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594163332731-RATQ710QAJKIH7GKVUYH/KGO-2008-thumb-large.jpg Samara Interview: Medical volunteer Dr. Gary Raff on KGO Radio 810 (2008) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594164335479-5M1RMC6VNO386ULJ7FMP/Child+Valya+Samara+2008.JPG Samara Patient Narrative: Valya (2008) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594164463664-PXLKV86ADKVUKUDN0IBF/dasha Samara Patient Narrative: Dasha (2008) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594164612747-GYQ1HR4UVPULIK9AFX24/Child+Anna+Samara+2008+1.JPG Samara Patient Narrative: Anya (2008) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594165707425-EHHSVXKLHHIRFI2M3525/abc7news Samara Video: ABC7 News, Heart to Heart in Samara (2008) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594164764488-ETNOQIMKKTF2B6LKR7GG/Syoma%2BK%2BS2008.jpg Samara Patient Narrative: Syoma (2008) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591899333580-FP1FS3TCDGCJC3CX4P2K/Anastasia%2BD%2BS2007.jpg Samara Patient Narrative: Anastasia (2007) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594164891218-ZQ67ZO6JRCE9PY1F2MLW/Baby+Vasya+Samara+2006-10-03+027.JPG Samara Patient Narrative: Vasya (2006) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1564698766572-9FPWQXIW7E07GNW3GUJH/H2H%2BS%2B%2B0582.jpg Samara https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1567806026470-LLVNB1OET56F3WP0ZMYE/H2H+S++044.jpg Samara https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621465032375-TN80CZ4OYFG39JYXF5RU/Samara.png Samara https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591227578559-PPTKFGXV1VCKWLUB2NHN/Samara+2009+Trip+Report Samara Trip Report: 2009 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591227633047-SNAYVOUVOIE62YE9N1EE/Samara+Trip+Report+2008 Samara Trip Report: 2008 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594163332731-RATQ710QAJKIH7GKVUYH/KGO-2008-thumb-large.jpg Samara Interview: Medical volunteer Dr. Gary Raff on KGO Radio 810 (2008) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594164335479-5M1RMC6VNO386ULJ7FMP/Child+Valya+Samara+2008.JPG Samara Patient Narrative: Valya (2008) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594164463664-PXLKV86ADKVUKUDN0IBF/dasha Samara Patient Narrative: Dasha (2008) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594164612747-GYQ1HR4UVPULIK9AFX24/Child+Anna+Samara+2008+1.JPG Samara Patient Narrative: Anya (2008) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594165707425-EHHSVXKLHHIRFI2M3525/abc7news Samara Video: ABC7 News, Heart to Heart in Samara (2008) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594164764488-ETNOQIMKKTF2B6LKR7GG/Syoma%2BK%2BS2008.jpg Samara Patient Narrative: Syoma (2008) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591899333580-FP1FS3TCDGCJC3CX4P2K/Anastasia%2BD%2BS2007.jpg Samara Patient Narrative: Anastasia (2007) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594164891218-ZQ67ZO6JRCE9PY1F2MLW/Baby+Vasya+Samara+2006-10-03+027.JPG Samara Patient Narrative: Vasya (2006) https://www.heart-2-heart.org/st-petersburg daily 0.75 2026-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568847164714-Z9PUBHZ2J24TT99Q8ZKM/Elena+Senotova%2C+Masha+Senotova%2C+Nilas+Young%2C+Lindsey+Young+-+Feb+14%2C+1989.jpg St. Petersburg HEART TO HEART’S FIRST PATIENT From the time Masha’s heart defect was detected when she was a baby, her mother Elena was told by Soviet doctors that Masha’s heart was inoperable. But Heart to Heart’s founders knew they could save Masha’s life and brought her to Oakland, CA for open heart surgery. Heart to Heart co-founder Nilas Young, MD successfully operated on the seven-year-old, and then began leading teams of specialists to St. Petersburg to train the city’s first pediatric cardiac team. Today, more than 10,000 children have been saved at our St. Petersburg partner site. (Clockwise from upper left: Elena, Dr. Nilas Young, his daughter, Masha). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621464870047-WBQ5STTZURH040ZR2Y1G/St.+Pete.png St. Petersburg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591215122162-5U4CLDUX9GW6W99NLX41/02%2B%25281%2529.jpg St. Petersburg Photo Gallery: St. Petersburg, A Look Back after 25 Years (2015) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591051969761-HY6WJP9J6T9066IGWZNT/unnamed.jpg St. Petersburg Video: CBS News 60 Minutes in St. Petersburg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591051824218-AGU5VGP150KYVC10OLF4/Worldstacked.jpg St. Petersburg Audio: PRI’s The World (2009) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591052058353-02HFSJTZ4A1XCZCBCMX2/logo-the-sacramento-bee.jpg St. Petersburg Print: 20 Years, Thousands of Kids Saved (2009) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591052571328-LTXG7D4252WJ53AAK61B/0tGfvsCs_400x400.jpg St. Petersburg Video: KRON 4 Morning News https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591217939470-47LERVE6FQB6CCR25BEL/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-06-03%2Bat%2B1.58.40%2BPM.jpg St. Petersburg Video: Interview with Dr. Nilas Young and Lizbeth Hasse, Esq. - in Leningrad (1990) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591218526344-82DAE6FL8IUW5SC72MQT/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-06-03%2Bat%2B2.07.05%2BPM.jpg St. Petersburg Video: Heart to Heart CBS 60 Minutes Feature (1992) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591218090200-XQ76VEQZMO670ZRV7C95/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-06-03%2Bat%2B2.01.16%2BPM.jpg St. Petersburg Video: The Heart to Heart Story (2009) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591218663372-7O6JDLS0V1BK7Q3W7KM8/Screen+Shot+2020-06-03+at+2.10.58+PM.png St. Petersburg Print: Parenting Magazine Feature (1991) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591052207854-QMZLNO6QR6THIOAP7WTY/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-06-01%2Bat%2B3.55.56%2BPM.jpg St. Petersburg Print: Heart to Heart on the cover of Pravda (1990) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568847164714-Z9PUBHZ2J24TT99Q8ZKM/Elena+Senotova%2C+Masha+Senotova%2C+Nilas+Young%2C+Lindsey+Young+-+Feb+14%2C+1989.jpg St. Petersburg HEART TO HEART’S FIRST PATIENT From the time Masha’s heart defect was detected when she was a baby, her mother Elena was told by Soviet doctors that Masha’s heart was inoperable. But Heart to Heart’s founders knew they could save Masha’s life and brought her to Oakland, CA for open heart surgery. Heart to Heart co-founder Nilas Young, MD successfully operated on the seven-year-old, and then began leading teams of specialists to St. Petersburg to train the city’s first pediatric cardiac team. Today, more than 10,000 children have been saved at our St. Petersburg partner site. (Clockwise from upper left: Elena, Dr. Nilas Young, his daughter, Masha). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621464870047-WBQ5STTZURH040ZR2Y1G/St.+Pete.png St. Petersburg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591215122162-5U4CLDUX9GW6W99NLX41/02%2B%25281%2529.jpg St. Petersburg Photo Gallery: St. Petersburg, A Look Back after 25 Years (2015) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591051969761-HY6WJP9J6T9066IGWZNT/unnamed.jpg St. Petersburg Video: CBS News 60 Minutes in St. Petersburg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591051824218-AGU5VGP150KYVC10OLF4/Worldstacked.jpg St. Petersburg Audio: PRI’s The World (2009) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591052058353-02HFSJTZ4A1XCZCBCMX2/logo-the-sacramento-bee.jpg St. Petersburg Print: 20 Years, Thousands of Kids Saved (2009) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591052571328-LTXG7D4252WJ53AAK61B/0tGfvsCs_400x400.jpg St. Petersburg Video: KRON 4 Morning News https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591217939470-47LERVE6FQB6CCR25BEL/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-06-03%2Bat%2B1.58.40%2BPM.jpg St. Petersburg Video: Interview with Dr. Nilas Young and Lizbeth Hasse, Esq. - in Leningrad (1990) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591218526344-82DAE6FL8IUW5SC72MQT/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-06-03%2Bat%2B2.07.05%2BPM.jpg St. Petersburg Video: Heart to Heart CBS 60 Minutes Feature (1992) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591218090200-XQ76VEQZMO670ZRV7C95/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-06-03%2Bat%2B2.01.16%2BPM.jpg St. Petersburg Video: The Heart to Heart Story (2009) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591218663372-7O6JDLS0V1BK7Q3W7KM8/Screen+Shot+2020-06-03+at+2.10.58+PM.png St. Petersburg Print: Parenting Magazine Feature (1991) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591052207854-QMZLNO6QR6THIOAP7WTY/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-06-01%2Bat%2B3.55.56%2BPM.jpg St. Petersburg Print: Heart to Heart on the cover of Pravda (1990) https://www.heart-2-heart.org/yerevan-armenia daily 0.75 2023-03-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1607472194781-7LH8FAP3WMXFKT5DNDUU/Photo+Sep+30%2C+07+07+07.jpg Yerevan, Armenia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1607472194781-7LH8FAP3WMXFKT5DNDUU/Photo+Sep+30%2C+07+07+07.jpg Yerevan, Armenia https://www.heart-2-heart.org/chelyabinsk daily 0.75 2026-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1584142801457-XMKD578J1CMS9ZWFL0NR/CHE+Cardiac+Center.JPG Chelyabinsk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593724597301-MF82JY24LR1GQ0KSCKXX/meteorite.jpg Chelyabinsk SHINING BRIGHTLY On February 15, 2013, Chelyabinsk experienced the event that brought world attention to the city – the descent of a meteorite. The fireball that descended on the town and its environs glowed 30 times brighter than the sun, with multiple explosions and long vapor trails that could be seen hundreds of miles away. Fragments of the meteor landed in many of the region’s lakes. Little pieces of the meteor can be bought at various tourist shops around the city, and a large fragment can be viewed on display at the Chelyabinsk Museum of Regional Studies (shown above). We loved hearing our colleagues at the CFCC share their firsthand experiences of being in Chelyabinsk when the meteor hit! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621464571054-3AO5GIFU9DM6RGT0MLGA/Cheyabinsk.png Chelyabinsk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592607403983-V5TSVGWC3S951M5ZSFP8/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-06-19%2Bat%2B3.56.16%2BPM.jpg Chelyabinsk Trip Report: Second surgical-educational mission to Chelyabinsk (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1595359266517-EPKM7KAO2FI3446WPNH2/static1.squarespace.jpg Chelyabinsk Blog: The right surgery – at the right time (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1595360647752-OP6VV3ZPNBHOJZLVQF0X/sofya.jpg Chelyabinsk Patient Narrative: Sofya (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1595440359060-RAI7UJBB5OQCSJWMZFQ9/Vitaliy.jpg Chelyabinsk Patient Narrative: Vitaliy (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593724379500-S0155IGTC9IF7T60QDQL/or.jpg Chelyabinsk Trip Report: First surgical-educational mission to Chelyabinsk (2015) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592607340951-NESNQ194W3ZO3O5160DD/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-04-12%2Bat%2B4.46.02%2BPM.jpg Chelyabinsk Video: Leeza’s Story (2015) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592606822968-C9XW22IQGI5XTARF4OEN/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-06-19%2Bat%2B3.46.20%2BPM.jpg Chelyabinsk Video: New Site Launch: Chelyabinsk (2015) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1595360192232-WU0JHGOKQUQ7IPN7NL07/lyosha Chelyabinsk Video: Meet Olga: Mother of a 4-year-old with a heart defect (2015) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592606627641-DWHLD15VL64B6HYZFJ3A/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-06-19%2Bat%2B3.42.57%2BPM.jpg Chelyabinsk Blog: Getting Started in Chelyabinsk (2015) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1595440573752-I1KIZLZUWCS3EK7IQSXG/chelvideo Chelyabinsk Video: First surgical-educational mission to Chelyabinsk (2015) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1584142801457-XMKD578J1CMS9ZWFL0NR/CHE+Cardiac+Center.JPG Chelyabinsk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593724597301-MF82JY24LR1GQ0KSCKXX/meteorite.jpg Chelyabinsk SHINING BRIGHTLY On February 15, 2013, Chelyabinsk experienced the event that brought world attention to the city – the descent of a meteorite. The fireball that descended on the town and its environs glowed 30 times brighter than the sun, with multiple explosions and long vapor trails that could be seen hundreds of miles away. Fragments of the meteor landed in many of the region’s lakes. Little pieces of the meteor can be bought at various tourist shops around the city, and a large fragment can be viewed on display at the Chelyabinsk Museum of Regional Studies (shown above). We loved hearing our colleagues at the CFCC share their firsthand experiences of being in Chelyabinsk when the meteor hit! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621464571054-3AO5GIFU9DM6RGT0MLGA/Cheyabinsk.png Chelyabinsk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592607403983-V5TSVGWC3S951M5ZSFP8/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-06-19%2Bat%2B3.56.16%2BPM.jpg Chelyabinsk Trip Report: Second surgical-educational mission to Chelyabinsk (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1595359266517-EPKM7KAO2FI3446WPNH2/static1.squarespace.jpg Chelyabinsk Blog: The right surgery – at the right time (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1595360647752-OP6VV3ZPNBHOJZLVQF0X/sofya.jpg Chelyabinsk Patient Narrative: Sofya (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1595440359060-RAI7UJBB5OQCSJWMZFQ9/Vitaliy.jpg Chelyabinsk Patient Narrative: Vitaliy (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1593724379500-S0155IGTC9IF7T60QDQL/or.jpg Chelyabinsk Trip Report: First surgical-educational mission to Chelyabinsk (2015) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592607340951-NESNQ194W3ZO3O5160DD/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-04-12%2Bat%2B4.46.02%2BPM.jpg Chelyabinsk Video: Leeza’s Story (2015) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592606822968-C9XW22IQGI5XTARF4OEN/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-06-19%2Bat%2B3.46.20%2BPM.jpg Chelyabinsk Video: New Site Launch: Chelyabinsk (2015) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1595360192232-WU0JHGOKQUQ7IPN7NL07/lyosha Chelyabinsk Video: Meet Olga: Mother of a 4-year-old with a heart defect (2015) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1592606627641-DWHLD15VL64B6HYZFJ3A/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-06-19%2Bat%2B3.42.57%2BPM.jpg Chelyabinsk Blog: Getting Started in Chelyabinsk (2015) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1595440573752-I1KIZLZUWCS3EK7IQSXG/chelvideo Chelyabinsk Video: First surgical-educational mission to Chelyabinsk (2015) https://www.heart-2-heart.org/tomsk daily 0.75 2026-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591816161084-2J68FIIXGHIY8O1IH270/snowytomsk Tomsk TOP CHILDREN’S HEART PROGRAM The Tomsk Cardiology Institute is known throughout the Russian Federation and CIS countries for providing advanced pediatric cardiac surgery. The Institute is located in Siberia, an extensive geographical region spanning much of Eurasia and Northern Asia. (Eurasia includes Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Republic of Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Northern Asia includes the vast northern part of Asia east of the Ural Mountains.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621464663661-2FA1OQMBGXPHNYJT8XGB/tomsk.png Tomsk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594938922263-NTCQFH41KM9B856P0NWA/babytomsk.jpg Tomsk Photo Gallery: Our Seventh & Final Team Mission to Tomsk, Siberia (2012) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591658266788-1UC0UD65IA9CDBWD7H07/T7%2BTR%2BPage%2B7%2Boverview%2B017%2B2006.jpg Tomsk Trip Report: 2012 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594939130014-408C02BVJBIBCCUAU1OJ/tomsk2011 Tomsk Photo Gallery: Saving Children in the Vast Siberian District (2011) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591658105305-RZF6L7XWX3OM6D8WDFQX/Page%2B1%2BCetta%2Bhigh-res.jpg Tomsk Trip Report: 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591901617918-65X95DA1D9F8SIUP99OQ/Amira+Itakova+BN+high-res.jpg Tomsk Patient Narrative: Amira (2011) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591657811385-RDQ63CZ6LRCQDE05OW0R/tomsk2010tripreport.JPG Tomsk Trip Report: 2010 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591901184614-JMT53NCO3MLLT5OHGZCC/Maxim%2BDavydov.jpg Tomsk Patient Narrative: Maxim (2010) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594938560252-MIKRROL8YAS5LJY9B6IV/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-07-16%2Bat%2B3.28.24%2BPM.jpg Tomsk Patient Narrative: Anastasia (2008) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591899760755-Q3X55QR42WOVES2F357O/Danil%2BL%2BT2006.jpg Tomsk Patient Narrative: Danil (2006) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594938629036-7WTL5KQYZ6B99YR40VY9/yuri Tomsk Patient Narrative: Yuri (2006) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591816161084-2J68FIIXGHIY8O1IH270/snowytomsk Tomsk TOP CHILDREN’S HEART PROGRAM The Tomsk Cardiology Institute is known throughout the Russian Federation and CIS countries for providing advanced pediatric cardiac surgery. The Institute is located in Siberia, an extensive geographical region spanning much of Eurasia and Northern Asia. (Eurasia includes Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Republic of Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Northern Asia includes the vast northern part of Asia east of the Ural Mountains.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621464663661-2FA1OQMBGXPHNYJT8XGB/tomsk.png Tomsk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594938922263-NTCQFH41KM9B856P0NWA/babytomsk.jpg Tomsk Photo Gallery: Our Seventh & Final Team Mission to Tomsk, Siberia (2012) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591658266788-1UC0UD65IA9CDBWD7H07/T7%2BTR%2BPage%2B7%2Boverview%2B017%2B2006.jpg Tomsk Trip Report: 2012 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594939130014-408C02BVJBIBCCUAU1OJ/tomsk2011 Tomsk Photo Gallery: Saving Children in the Vast Siberian District (2011) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591658105305-RZF6L7XWX3OM6D8WDFQX/Page%2B1%2BCetta%2Bhigh-res.jpg Tomsk Trip Report: 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591901617918-65X95DA1D9F8SIUP99OQ/Amira+Itakova+BN+high-res.jpg Tomsk Patient Narrative: Amira (2011) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591657811385-RDQ63CZ6LRCQDE05OW0R/tomsk2010tripreport.JPG Tomsk Trip Report: 2010 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591901184614-JMT53NCO3MLLT5OHGZCC/Maxim%2BDavydov.jpg Tomsk Patient Narrative: Maxim (2010) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594938560252-MIKRROL8YAS5LJY9B6IV/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-07-16%2Bat%2B3.28.24%2BPM.jpg Tomsk Patient Narrative: Anastasia (2008) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591899760755-Q3X55QR42WOVES2F357O/Danil%2BL%2BT2006.jpg Tomsk Patient Narrative: Danil (2006) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594938629036-7WTL5KQYZ6B99YR40VY9/yuri Tomsk Patient Narrative: Yuri (2006) https://www.heart-2-heart.org/paraguay daily 0.75 2021-10-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603837797960-AXGU7XUA3LKH5U2G6VVU/image.jpg Asuncion, Paraguay https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603838957871-P058FO83J7ZNKRS4DPMC/IMG_0788.jpg Asuncion, Paraguay National Hospital: In this country of 7 million, one out of every five people lives in poverty. The vast majority of the population–children and adults–do not have access to heart care. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603838018331-R27VDZILKL092DVY0S70/IMG_0779.jpg Asuncion, Paraguay Patient Story: Celestino (2019) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603838114046-M55SOKG4IQRZZIC9RPNT/mabel Asuncion, Paraguay Patient Story: Mabel (2019) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603838200058-WCLUPJ4YDOUSLP2DD9IB/adolfo.JPG Asuncion, Paraguay Patient Story: Adolfo (2019) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603838726543-CY7YMNH31DH1RC3B4UCJ/IMG_0799.JPG Asuncion, Paraguay Patient Story: Emiliano (2019) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1605072402744-048VMM56W71XIP8KOLO1/photo%2B1.jpg Asuncion, Paraguay Photo Gallery: Exploratory Mission to Asuncion (2019) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1605072274081-ZNK5M35CUIJNDBND5QV4/hospitalinparaguay.jpg Asuncion, Paraguay Blog Post: On the Ground in Paraguay (2019) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1605072193099-6U5HZMM1T6A2GDCN5SLM/waitingarea.jpg Asuncion, Paraguay Blog Post: Our First Mission to Paraguay (2019) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1605072136987-FCHHXSTRWISDS0FMKSCS/paraguayss.jpg Asuncion, Paraguay Blog Post: Going Global - Site assessment in Paraguay (2018) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603837797960-AXGU7XUA3LKH5U2G6VVU/image.jpg Asuncion, Paraguay https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603838957871-P058FO83J7ZNKRS4DPMC/IMG_0788.jpg Asuncion, Paraguay National Hospital: In this country of 7 million, one out of every five people lives in poverty. The vast majority of the population–children and adults–do not have access to heart care. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603838018331-R27VDZILKL092DVY0S70/IMG_0779.jpg Asuncion, Paraguay Patient Story: Celestino (2019) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603838114046-M55SOKG4IQRZZIC9RPNT/mabel Asuncion, Paraguay Patient Story: Mabel (2019) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603838200058-WCLUPJ4YDOUSLP2DD9IB/adolfo.JPG Asuncion, Paraguay Patient Story: Adolfo (2019) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1603838726543-CY7YMNH31DH1RC3B4UCJ/IMG_0799.JPG Asuncion, Paraguay Patient Story: Emiliano (2019) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1605072402744-048VMM56W71XIP8KOLO1/photo%2B1.jpg Asuncion, Paraguay Photo Gallery: Exploratory Mission to Asuncion (2019) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1605072274081-ZNK5M35CUIJNDBND5QV4/hospitalinparaguay.jpg Asuncion, Paraguay Blog Post: On the Ground in Paraguay (2019) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1605072193099-6U5HZMM1T6A2GDCN5SLM/waitingarea.jpg Asuncion, Paraguay Blog Post: Our First Mission to Paraguay (2019) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1605072136987-FCHHXSTRWISDS0FMKSCS/paraguayss.jpg Asuncion, Paraguay Blog Post: Going Global - Site assessment in Paraguay (2018) https://www.heart-2-heart.org/torreon-mexico daily 0.75 2023-03-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604364661155-GIZ2KFOK2OGA0GLNSJQF/IMG_0370.JPG Torreon, Mexico https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604349689037-KQKZDWCW5BD43VFUHMFZ/torreon+hospital Torreon, Mexico https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604349293430-R8E9QELBXEEBWN81IQZ4/Alejandro Torreon, Mexico Patient Narrative: Alejandro (2018) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604349194173-X1PR7GCSYZBT4O1YVYXZ/Aitana Torreon, Mexico Patient Narrative: Aitana (2018) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604349424980-10VIOHI9KH4733R78V17/Liah Torreon, Mexico Patient Narrative: Liah (2018) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604349491962-TSELRKPR6ZO37RIRXMRG/Alejandro+video Torreon, Mexico Video: Going Global, Torreon (2018) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604349796930-50LEF4LVCVZ5CGN9J0GT/torreon1 Torreon, Mexico Photo Gallery: Torreon (2018) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604349885208-WBLVTOYLVPQWG95IOSXX/aitana1 Torreon, Mexico Blog: Bringing Open Heart Surgery to the Children of Northern Mexico (2018) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604350229575-4UCL0U3D2TY5J0X2W2IS/torreonsa Torreon, Mexico Blog: Going Global: Site assessment in Mexico (2018) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604364661155-GIZ2KFOK2OGA0GLNSJQF/IMG_0370.JPG Torreon, Mexico https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604349689037-KQKZDWCW5BD43VFUHMFZ/torreon+hospital Torreon, Mexico https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604349293430-R8E9QELBXEEBWN81IQZ4/Alejandro Torreon, Mexico Patient Narrative: Alejandro (2018) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604349194173-X1PR7GCSYZBT4O1YVYXZ/Aitana Torreon, Mexico Patient Narrative: Aitana (2018) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604349424980-10VIOHI9KH4733R78V17/Liah Torreon, Mexico Patient Narrative: Liah (2018) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604349491962-TSELRKPR6ZO37RIRXMRG/Alejandro+video Torreon, Mexico Video: Going Global, Torreon (2018) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604349796930-50LEF4LVCVZ5CGN9J0GT/torreon1 Torreon, Mexico Photo Gallery: Torreon (2018) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604349885208-WBLVTOYLVPQWG95IOSXX/aitana1 Torreon, Mexico Blog: Bringing Open Heart Surgery to the Children of Northern Mexico (2018) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1604350229575-4UCL0U3D2TY5J0X2W2IS/torreonsa Torreon, Mexico Blog: Going Global: Site assessment in Mexico (2018) https://www.heart-2-heart.org/guatemala daily 0.75 2021-10-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1606952937319-S78ZD42PZRIUUQGS0V2U/IMG_0347.jpg Guatemala Guatemala City, Guatemala May 2018: Heart to Heart site assessment team members tour UNICAR and learn about their highly regarded pediatric cardiac program – a Latin American gem. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1606953545390-W8BBTT7MXC91LBUUZNVI/IMG_0405.jpg Guatemala Heart to Heart in Guatemala City: Heart to Heart meets with Guatemalan cardiac thought leaders to discuss collaborating to advance and expand care. Left to right: Joaquin Barnoya, MD; David Teitel, MD; Gonzalo Calvimontes, MD; Heart to Heart Founder & Medical Director, Nilas Young, MD; Raul Cruz, MD; Heart to Heart Program Manager Albina Popova; and Heart to Heart Executive Director, Josie Everett. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1606952937319-S78ZD42PZRIUUQGS0V2U/IMG_0347.jpg Guatemala Guatemala City, Guatemala May 2018: Heart to Heart site assessment team members tour UNICAR and learn about their highly regarded pediatric cardiac program – a Latin American gem. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1606953545390-W8BBTT7MXC91LBUUZNVI/IMG_0405.jpg Guatemala Heart to Heart in Guatemala City: Heart to Heart meets with Guatemalan cardiac thought leaders to discuss collaborating to advance and expand care. Left to right: Joaquin Barnoya, MD; David Teitel, MD; Gonzalo Calvimontes, MD; Heart to Heart Founder & Medical Director, Nilas Young, MD; Raul Cruz, MD; Heart to Heart Program Manager Albina Popova; and Heart to Heart Executive Director, Josie Everett. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/reuben-holland daily 0.75 2024-03-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/eb923b11-b896-4cfa-ac77-738613fd701b/Reuben+Holland+Staff+Bio.png Reuben Holland https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/eb923b11-b896-4cfa-ac77-738613fd701b/Reuben+Holland+Staff+Bio.png Reuben Holland https://www.heart-2-heart.org/nika-thayer daily 0.75 2025-10-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1611884284144-3WVLUEACRV69ARD29O2R/Nika%2BThayer.jpg Nika Thayer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1611884284144-3WVLUEACRV69ARD29O2R/Nika%2BThayer.jpg Nika Thayer https://www.heart-2-heart.org/donate-edwards daily 0.75 2021-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1613701566033-QZYQKDIEVOHU171HLHEM/frankedwards Donate Edwards https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1613701566033-QZYQKDIEVOHU171HLHEM/frankedwards Donate Edwards https://www.heart-2-heart.org/jtcvs daily 0.75 2021-10-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1617049083240-1MEAQYD4HRZRBRI8FICR/image-asset.jpeg JTCVS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1617049083240-1MEAQYD4HRZRBRI8FICR/image-asset.jpeg JTCVS https://www.heart-2-heart.org/happy-birthday-masha daily 0.75 2025-10-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1618863007845-RQ8AN7ZQWIG6A0XR64MH/02%2B%281%29.jpeg Happy Birthday Masha! - Meet Masha, Our First Patient Meet Masha, Our First Patient When we met Masha S., she could barely walk. Soviet doctors considered her inoperable. Masha’s successful open heart surgery in Oakland, California was the catalyst for founding Heart to Heart Global Cardiac Care. Today, Masha leads an active life and is the mother of a healthy son. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1618863013531-BQO3K8R7FWZXHWQMG14Q/04%2B%25281%2529.jpeg Happy Birthday Masha! - Praying for a Miracle (Copy) Praying for a Miracle Pasha D. trembled under the stern hand of his grandmother while they waited for a spot on Heart to Heart’s surgical schedule. During the successful operation, his anxious grandmother sat silently praying in a corner. Successful outcomes were considered miraculous in Russia in the early 1990s. Today, all children in St. Petersburg have access to life-saving cardiac care. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1618863017832-4XE90DU5GKICMZR2KUE3/07%2B%281%29.jpeg Happy Birthday Masha! - Co-Founder Stanley Higashino with Heart Patient in Russia (Copy) Co-Founder Stanley Higashino with Heart Patient in Russia Dr. Higashino shared our hope for a better future for children born with congenital heart disease in the Soviet Union. His vision included the addition of a cath lab to bring state-of-the-art diagnoses and treatments to the children of St. Petersburg. Thanks to grants from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and Toshiba, Heart to Heart was able to make Dr. Higashino’s vision a life-saving legacy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1618863019086-8VGGTMC54AB6JP3OADU1/09.jpeg Happy Birthday Masha! - Developing Heart Care Around the World (Copy) Developing Heart Care Around the World After 30 years and the development of six self-sustaining children’s cardiac centers and two adult cardiac centers, Heart to Heart is steadfast in our commitment to our vision: Worldwide, all children and adults, regardless of where they are born or where they live, will have access to life-saving heart care. More than 30,000 children and 5,000 adults have been successfully operated on at Heart to Heart partner sites. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1618863008166-D7DMEIIAWLXL14PKAKVF/03%2B%281%29.jpeg Happy Birthday Masha! - Very Common, Yet Highly Treatable (Copy) Very Common, Yet Highly Treatable Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defect worldwide. Yet today, the vast majority of children around the globe still lack access to life-saving surgery. For so many children a single surgery is all that is needed to guarantee a future. Through partnerships with medical professionals throughout Russia, we have given more than 30,000 children like two-year-old Igor (pictured here) the gift of life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1618863020440-35TO3MSC1KRP0BWREECP/08%2B%281%29.jpeg Happy Birthday Masha! - Honoring the Memory of our Pioneer Patients (Copy) Honoring the Memory of our Pioneer Patients Ten-year-old Genya P., and his father Yuri, wait patiently before the boy’s high-risk heart surgery. Timely treatment is critical for children born with heart defects. During the Soviet Era, the vast majority of Russian children born with CHD died. We continue to honor the memory of our Pioneer Patients by working to expand access to life-saving heart care to children around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1618863014048-CI5TWL86QYGCDC7CY51W/05%2B%282%29.jpeg Happy Birthday Masha! - Education and Training – the Core of Heart to Heart's Work (Copy) Education and Training – the Core of Heart to Heart's Work In 1990, very few open heart surgeries were performed on children in the USSR. Above, doctors and medical students observe modern surgical techniques as the Heart to Heart team operates at St. Petersburg Children’s Hospital No. 1. Today, in part thanks to Heart to Heart, over 8,000 open heart procedures are performed throughout the country each year. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/medical-advisory-council daily 0.75 2025-12-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/eb500fa1-b804-4bb2-bed7-b8fb109ae9d0/frankcetta.jpg Medical Advisory Council FRANK CETTA, MD Board President Pediatric and Adult Congenital Cardiologist, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622162014844-80LXWUX9YNTJCM2OTTIF/markcocalisheadshot Medical Advisory Council MARK COCALIS, MD † Pediatric Cardiologist UC San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/f735a6e1-3df7-4a4e-9087-e7d6e70093b1/george+falkowski%3F%3F%3F.jpeg Medical Advisory Council GEORGE FALKOWSKI, MD* Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon Shaare Zedek Medical Center https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622162477757-1K90X8YS0IGBBGZ2B6EQ/maryannekessel.jpg Medical Advisory Council MARYANNE KESSEL RN, MBA Executive Director of Development Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622163234057-66OWB96GGCSO4KIGCMOZ/bert+litwin Medical Advisory Council - Make it stand out BERT LITWIN, MD Chief Emeritus, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Herma Heart Center Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622163190718-8MIYCWJJCR2S5FNOP027/natalia.jpg Medical Advisory Council - Make it stand out NATALIA LUSIN, PhD* Statistician & Interpreter Associate Director of Program and Head of Research Modern Language Association https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1625168794677-XBG8239VK5SN6DIPH5K0/IMG_0242.jpg Medical Advisory Council - Make it stand out GARY RAFF, MD Chief, Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery UC Davis Medical Center https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622163641198-BK9UM3270VF9E5WSMCT6/janet.jpg Medical Advisory Council - Make it stand out JANET SIMSIC, MD Medical Director of Cardiothoracic ICU Nationwide Children’s Hospital https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622163743765-ZTG9YP3GR4LI5B5ALQXV/Taggart---mss_0001548386-copy.jpg Medical Advisory Council - Make it stand out NATHAN TAGGART, MD* Pediatric Cardiologist Mayo Clinic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622163883264-EX41MNT8BGFTSOUOYYO8/dr-david-teitel-md-14493-320x320-2x.jpg Medical Advisory Council - Make it stand out DAVID TEITEL, MD † Pediatric Cardiologist UC San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/18242298-aaf6-428c-8bcb-0e7a9037a7e4/IMG_2400.jpg Medical Advisory Council - Make it stand out ELIZABETH WILSON, MD Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiologist Emory University Hospital/CHOA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622164158485-3JBBX16P3P2127ZDLJLZ/DSC_4855.png Medical Advisory Council - Make it stand out NILAS YOUNG, MD Founder & Medical Director Professor & Chief Emeritus, Cardiothoracic Surgery UC Davis Medical Center https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/eb500fa1-b804-4bb2-bed7-b8fb109ae9d0/frankcetta.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622162014844-80LXWUX9YNTJCM2OTTIF/markcocalisheadshot https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1559939385796-EBTAUCCVFCZM6WCUVNA0/newjosieheadshot.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/f735a6e1-3df7-4a4e-9087-e7d6e70093b1/george+falkowski%3F%3F%3F.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555523179648-ZS5INWRXQ3R328UAM1PV/keith.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622162477757-1K90X8YS0IGBBGZ2B6EQ/maryannekessel.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622163234057-66OWB96GGCSO4KIGCMOZ/bert+litwin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622163190718-8MIYCWJJCR2S5FNOP027/natalia.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1625168794677-XBG8239VK5SN6DIPH5K0/IMG_0242.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622163641198-BK9UM3270VF9E5WSMCT6/janet.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622163743765-ZTG9YP3GR4LI5B5ALQXV/Taggart---mss_0001548386-copy.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622163883264-EX41MNT8BGFTSOUOYYO8/dr-david-teitel-md-14493-320x320-2x.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/18242298-aaf6-428c-8bcb-0e7a9037a7e4/IMG_2400.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622164158485-3JBBX16P3P2127ZDLJLZ/DSC_4855.png https://www.heart-2-heart.org/our-program-model daily 0.75 2025-07-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1627071582763-BOUQXPK6X603LSFXO7HX/datacollectionandanalysis-01.png Our Program Model - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1627071532710-YSM5ZUABE43IKUM7LLLW/guidanceandleadership-01.png Our Program Model - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1627071347075-VMDGB6T6ENLUQZLLUTQ3/surgicalmissions-01.png Our Program Model - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1627323817259-D6A9MCY6GAA4UPK37E11/scholarexchange-01.png Our Program Model - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1627071582763-BOUQXPK6X603LSFXO7HX/datacollectionandanalysis-01.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1627071532710-YSM5ZUABE43IKUM7LLLW/guidanceandleadership-01.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1627071347075-VMDGB6T6ENLUQZLLUTQ3/surgicalmissions-01.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1627323817259-D6A9MCY6GAA4UPK37E11/scholarexchange-01.png https://www.heart-2-heart.org/our-volunteers daily 0.75 2025-08-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/19226fdb-5ba2-4d27-a37f-932d0989b128/_MG_2810.jpg Our Volunteers Frank Cetta, MD Dr. Frank Cetta is a bona fide Heart to Heartnik! His dedication to our mission and organization has taken him on more than 15 trips with us, from Kaliningrad and Tomsk, to Lima and San Jose! Dr. Cetta is a congenital cardiologist extraordinaire at his home institution, Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, MN. Read more about him here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/92f3d014-f4b6-44b3-86c3-ccb580ca0506/IMG_1742+2.jpg Our Volunteers Eric Eggler, RN Eric Eggler has served on four Heart to Heart cardiac training missions, most recently joining us in San Jose, Costa Rica! Eric works as a PCICU nurse year-round at the Mayo Clinic. He is pictured above with Costa Rican pediatric ICU doctors. Read more about Heart to Heart’s work in Costa Rica here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/19739076-8ab0-4f61-8449-fa97cedbdc80/IMG_1674.JPG Our Volunteers Kavitha Pundi, MD Dr. Kavitha Pundi (front row) is a pediatric cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Pundi is an enthusiastic and dedicated volunteer and has joined Heart to Heart on four surgical-educational missions to Russia and Latin America. Read more about Dr. Pundi here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1626807373287-U2RI8RVHA0SZCARWJGV7/CHE%2B2015%2BTeam.jpg Our Volunteers - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/19226fdb-5ba2-4d27-a37f-932d0989b128/_MG_2810.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/92f3d014-f4b6-44b3-86c3-ccb580ca0506/IMG_1742+2.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/19739076-8ab0-4f61-8449-fa97cedbdc80/IMG_1674.JPG https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/56e816a0-7bba-4b1e-ad33-7f2cbfd24e42/FullSizeRender.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1626807373287-U2RI8RVHA0SZCARWJGV7/CHE%2B2015%2BTeam.jpg https://www.heart-2-heart.org/costa-rica-2021 daily 0.75 2021-12-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1639169393676-BPA8Y32KWDRPORG1VPEH/cetta+echo+fontan.JPG Costa Rica 2021 Longtime Heart to Heart medical volunteer, congenital cardiologist Dr. Frank Cetta of the Mayo Clinic (center) performs an echocardiogram on heart patient Daniel as local interventional cardiologist Dr. Carlos Mas looks on. Five-year-old Daniel had recently undergone the Fontan surgery for his complex congenital heart defect. His repair was successful, and he is doing well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1639170100939-JAGCVJHTXKCVF8W8QV50/Photo+Nov+05%2C+10+49+04.jpg Costa Rica 2021 Heart to Heart medical volunteers and our Costa Rican colleagues examine and discuss a post-operative patient recovering in the intensive care unit. Group discussions are an important part of Heart to Heart’s collaborative approach to knowledge transfer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1640113081587-MTALVZ4XYAHZVNWUVNJA/Photo+Nov+04%2C+07+29+06.jpg Costa Rica 2021 Pediatric cardiac surgeon Dr. Kirk Kanter of Emory University / Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (right) presents a lecture on the surgical treatment of atrioventricular septal defects. Dr. Hernan Carcamo (green scrubs) interprets the lecture into Spanish. Bilingual communication is a vital part of Heart to Heart’s education and training approach. It is critically important that nuances of cardiac medicine – rarely found in textbooks – are clearly conveyed to the local team. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1639169537383-ZL8DDYNDGSHTI50RSBLI/wilson%26alfonso2.JPG Costa Rica 2021 Pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist Dr. Beth Wilson of Emory University / Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (right) presents a lecture on anesthesiology considerations for the Ross procedure as Dr. Teresita Alfonso (left) provides consecutive interpreting. All local specialists – doctors, nurses, and technicians alike – are encouraged to attend and participate during lectures. Eighteen hospital staff members attended this lecture and the Q&A session that followed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1639169678301-RAD5IM3RKF1MQNSB1R59/Photo+Nov+06%2C+14+21+51.jpg Costa Rica 2021 Each year 700 children are born with congenital heart disease in Costa Rica. In March 2022, Heart to Heart will conduct our first surgical-educational training mission to the National Children’s Hospital. We are excited to help expand cardiac care in this country, so all children and adults will have access to the life-saving heart care they need. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/lucie-everett daily 0.75 2025-10-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/a91478a0-6ff1-41bd-a23f-7b06d293ae04/lucie+board+bio+photo.png Lucie Everett - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/a91478a0-6ff1-41bd-a23f-7b06d293ae04/lucie+board+bio+photo.png https://www.heart-2-heart.org/meet-the-children daily 0.75 2024-11-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1721242203667-D7SWKHZZD1UW1ON1RU0D/IMG_7406.JPG Meet the Children - Victoria, San Jose https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591899423858-UL0ZM8F1RKKYKQ64B14A/Olga+S.JPG Meet the Children - Olga, Rostov-on-Don https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1730745781050-9F1O6XSV2Q0RAZYAFP7R/IMG_7340.JPG Meet the Children - Kian, San Jose https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1727208873468-GM0606J4BZUX33VLAZNM/IMG_6281.JPG Meet the Children - Lhaya, San Jose https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1730745713823-MMJMLWRT5036E8T3HSMU/IMG_7570.JPG Meet the Children - Ingrid, San Jose https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/e7c56ab7-6d7a-4911-9dc6-321126c08f3a/IMG_4833.jpeg Meet the Children - Enzo, San Jose https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1655486408636-93VEKJ6ZTHTRJJGRDPLH/camil.jpg Meet the Children - Camil, San Jose https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1704751490395-NT0I75MU3TWTMFMXH49H/Deborah.jpg Meet the Children - Deborah, San Jose https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1659659378449-6ZEDR5NITY78CV92YKX3/julian+z.JPG Meet the Children - Julian, San Jose https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1559153827588-I9BS2RGYYV808XXVYTTG/Patient+presurgery+Maria+Gracia+INSN.jpg Meet the Children - Maria Gracia, Lima https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555113614940-THFI0ONO4B270QY6HULS/Yana+Lepekhina+Tomsk-06.JPG Meet the Children - Yana, Tomsk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1655486219261-BV5JGSN1HT4B0K7ZAZZR/Alonso%2Bwith%2Bdad.jpg Meet the Children - Alonso, San Jose https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1644452138498-Q12YDTYYFZ1VX99FSUJ2/IMG_0129.JPG Meet the Children - Liah, Torreon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555113412812-VGK93GHHGW9719EQB5IJ/IMG_1351.JPG Meet the Children - Nikolai, Tomsk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1697145682388-ZLU039Z31OSIW1X46T9F/Gabriel%2BCR.jpg Meet the Children - Gabriel, San Jose https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/39e6ff91-a271-43b4-bc36-9a3d193bf33a/Amira+Itakova+BN+high-res.jpg Meet the Children - Amira, Tomsk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1697150535460-40573Q8Z75XGTYGSUEOX/IMG_0388-2.jpg Meet the Children - Alejandro, Torreon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/958878df-8310-4dae-8a60-adf3e7b2f016/Danil+G.jpg Meet the Children - Danil, Rostov-on-Don https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1697150379398-DUTHC5LJ892X6DTQNW88/Jazmin%2BA.jpg Meet the Children - Jazmin, Lima https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555110059445-Y2UW3FT6R1BIL0YQ2S51/IMG_3764.jpg Meet the Children - Vitaliy, Chelyabinsk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1697150652268-3JLKKMX6TEFYN03EEM41/IMG_8432.jpg Meet the Children - Aitana, Torreon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1704751692383-VW3IFREDSPG3J16Y6GZM/Ezequiel%252Band%252Bgrandma.jpg Meet the Children - Ezequiel, San Jose https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1704751009002-UH7AEBCQKK02PNFPJE7L/IMG_5021.jpeg Meet the Children - Jeikol, San Jose https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1555111925947-GJCEFFT61E029MAU1NFA/2014+Attendees+2-12.jpg Meet the Children - Milana, Kaliningrad https://www.heart-2-heart.org/global-need daily 0.75 2024-09-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/b2a49824-0dff-41e8-81d8-b090240a5125/SAN_BORJA_1.jpg Global Need - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/ebfad581-65e9-432c-aeec-9451832e30db/348LIMA.jpg Global Need - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/702a3041-37ef-4822-b480-351bc4a1e1b0/Frank+stethoscope.jpg Global Need - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1650579278620-JZSRT6MHC8KJ980VAAZS/IMG_1265.JPG Global Need https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/c17b3ca0-2c2d-4a05-90c4-32652b2597e3/IMG_0549.JPG Global Need - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/b2a49824-0dff-41e8-81d8-b090240a5125/SAN_BORJA_1.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/ebfad581-65e9-432c-aeec-9451832e30db/348LIMA.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/702a3041-37ef-4822-b480-351bc4a1e1b0/Frank+stethoscope.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1650579278620-JZSRT6MHC8KJ980VAAZS/IMG_1265.JPG https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/c17b3ca0-2c2d-4a05-90c4-32652b2597e3/IMG_0549.JPG https://www.heart-2-heart.org/our-impact daily 0.75 2025-07-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1117114e-c0ac-46db-80f1-a20c821abf5f/Asset+3.png Our Impact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/4a67abf7-ff04-4023-b627-909bb04b5969/Asset+1.png Our Impact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/9ba3dd28-c611-4024-9b49-6b015665b84e/Asset+4.png Our Impact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/3161983b-5023-4f38-b607-7eebd543e4c0/Asset+2.png Our Impact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/4fa4ea09-5793-489b-b683-f5f2c2bb680d/donuts-%28blue%29-1.jpg Our Impact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/6be753a1-3939-42be-a6d8-8cf2d42d9a4d/Total+Children+Saved+1989-2024+Projection.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1117114e-c0ac-46db-80f1-a20c821abf5f/Asset+3.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/4a67abf7-ff04-4023-b627-909bb04b5969/Asset+1.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/9ba3dd28-c611-4024-9b49-6b015665b84e/Asset+4.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/3161983b-5023-4f38-b607-7eebd543e4c0/Asset+2.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/4fa4ea09-5793-489b-b683-f5f2c2bb680d/donuts-%28blue%29-1.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1621463199981-V6X7L5FNYHCBOLDJ1KSO/2021+all+stamps.png https://www.heart-2-heart.org/edwards-costa-rica-patient-tour daily 0.75 2022-09-27 https://www.heart-2-heart.org/gary-raff daily 0.75 2025-09-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1b1c07f8-b0bd-41c8-8bca-19840207bb99/Gary+Raff+board+bio+banner.png Gary Raff https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1b1c07f8-b0bd-41c8-8bca-19840207bb99/Gary+Raff+board+bio+banner.png Gary Raff https://www.heart-2-heart.org/25th-anniversary daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1618863007845-RQ8AN7ZQWIG6A0XR64MH/02%2B%281%29.jpeg 25th - Meet Masha, Our First Patient (Copy) Meet Masha, Our First Patient When we met Masha S., she could barely walk. Soviet doctors considered her inoperable. Masha’s successful open heart surgery in Oakland, California was the catalyst for founding Heart to Heart Global Cardiac Care. Today, Masha leads an active life and is the mother of a healthy son. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1618863013531-BQO3K8R7FWZXHWQMG14Q/04%2B%25281%2529.jpeg 25th - Praying for a Miracle (Copy) Praying for a Miracle Pasha D. trembled under the stern hand of his grandmother while they waited for a spot on Heart to Heart’s surgical schedule. During the successful operation, his anxious grandmother sat silently praying in a corner. Successful outcomes were considered miraculous in Russia in the early 1990s. Today, all children in St. Petersburg have access to life-saving cardiac care. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1618863017832-4XE90DU5GKICMZR2KUE3/07%2B%281%29.jpeg 25th - Co-Founder Stanley Higashino with Heart Patient in Russia (Copy) Co-Founder Stanley Higashino with Heart Patient in Russia Dr. Higashino shared our hope for a better future for children born with congenital heart disease in the Soviet Union. His vision included the addition of a cath lab to bring state-of-the-art diagnoses and treatments to the children of St. Petersburg. Thanks to grants from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and Toshiba, Heart to Heart was able to make Dr. Higashino’s vision a life-saving legacy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1618863019086-8VGGTMC54AB6JP3OADU1/09.jpeg 25th - Developing Heart Care Around the World (Copy) Developing Heart Care Around the World After 30 years and the development of six self-sustaining children’s cardiac centers and two adult cardiac centers, Heart to Heart is steadfast in our commitment to our vision: Worldwide, all children and adults, regardless of where they are born or where they live, will have access to life-saving heart care. More than 30,000 children and 5,000 adults have been successfully operated on at Heart to Heart partner sites. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1618863008166-D7DMEIIAWLXL14PKAKVF/03%2B%281%29.jpeg 25th - Very Common, Yet Highly Treatable (Copy) Very Common, Yet Highly Treatable Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defect worldwide. Yet today, the vast majority of children around the globe still lack access to life-saving surgery. For so many children a single surgery is all that is needed to guarantee a future. Through partnerships with medical professionals throughout Russia, we have given more than 30,000 children like two-year-old Igor (pictured here) the gift of life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1618863020440-35TO3MSC1KRP0BWREECP/08%2B%281%29.jpeg 25th - Honoring the Memory of our Pioneer Patients (Copy) Honoring the Memory of our Pioneer Patients Ten-year-old Genya P., and his father Yuri, wait patiently before the boy’s high-risk heart surgery. Timely treatment is critical for children born with heart defects. During the Soviet Era, the vast majority of Russian children born with CHD died. We continue to honor the memory of our Pioneer Patients by working to expand access to life-saving heart care to children around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1618863014048-CI5TWL86QYGCDC7CY51W/05%2B%282%29.jpeg 25th - Education and Training – the Core of Heart to Heart's Work (Copy) Education and Training – the Core of Heart to Heart's Work In 1990, very few open heart surgeries were performed on children in the USSR. Above, doctors and medical students observe modern surgical techniques as the Heart to Heart team operates at St. Petersburg Children’s Hospital No. 1. Today, in part thanks to Heart to Heart, over 8,000 open heart procedures are performed throughout the country each year. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/20th-anniversary daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135778547-QW3B7HP6WOYRZNU6SMFU/H2H_0991.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Saturday Evening, February 14, 2009: Medical volunteers, donors, and other supporters have come from across the United States and Russia to join us for the evening. Honored guests include the Russian Consul General, Vladimir Vinokurov, with his wife Lyubov, and Heart to Heart’s first patient, Maria Senotova, and her parents. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135799542-F9X95AQKZSL1ZKZBTXIK/H2H_0975.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Emcee XXtraordinaire Carolyn Johnson: Emmy-nominated news anchor Carolyn Johnson kindly lends her talent to emcee. Most evenings, she is busy anchoring ABC7 News. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135826827-VZTQ26HUHA44I0YRDOBS/H2H_0937.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Awardee Dr. Vadim Lubomudrov with his wife Vera: Pediatric cardiac surgeon Vadim Lubomudrov and his wife Vera traveled from St. Petersburg for the occasion. He received the Dr. Nilas Young Humanitarian Award for Medical Leadership. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135843313-UXH8DCU3GH923A7DKUJH/H2H_0941.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery The Honorable Vladimir Vinokurov with his wife Lyubov: The Consul General of the Russian Federation and his lovely wife are strong supporters of Heart to Heart’s work. On this occasion, they again generously offer an elegant dinner à la Russe at their private residence as an auction item. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135656042-ITY182QS9A61193L8T4R/H2H_1130.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Maria Senotova (left) with Heart to Heart Board Member Margaret Niland: Maria was Heart to Heart’s first patient. This occasion is not only our 20th anniversary, but also marks 20 years since Maria’s heart was fully repaired in Oakland by founders Drs. Nilas Young and Stan Higashino. Margaret Niland has been involved with Heart to Heart for over 10 years and has participated on a surgical education mission in Maria’s hometown of St. Petersburg. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135587054-1G69Z1AL54BU338IV4EF/H2H_1154.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Dwight Cocke (left) with Board Chairman Steve Holland: Dwight Cocke served as Heart to Heart’s interim director in the 1990s, coordinating teams of cardiac specialists to perform open-heart surgery in the USSR. Steve Holland joined our Board in 1998 and has been Chairman since 2002. Under Steve’s leadership, we have significantly expanded our children’s programs throughout Russia and reached firm financial footing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135736705-QCGWH7WVRI8SIXMTBIHQ/H2H_1067.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Executive Director Josie Everett with Dr. Nilas Young and Valentine Cupids: Josie Everett has helped Heart to Heart launch three new children’s programs in the heartland of Russia. Since 1998, she has provided administrative leadership on more than 15 surgical-educational missions. Josie continues to serve as chief interpreter in the operating room during Heart to Heart surgeries, coordinating the OR interpreters and overall communication. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135851803-JNBXSAMX3TT8DIUVBXVP/H2H_0995.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Valentine Cupids: Before the evening’s program begins, our Cupids circulate among the guests accepting donations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135794374-NEHTUM2HOT4MQ0KSCJ1L/H2H_0990.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Long-Time Donors Jenny Hacker and Paul Bonnar: Jenny and Paul compliment their Cupid on her halo and offer her their donations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135557899-RXMHC11N48HEBLUABJ65/Svetlana2.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Awardees Natasha Lusin and Dr. Kuzmina-Krutetskaia with Dr. Nilas Young: To celebrate with us, Natasha Lusin flew from New York, and Dr. Svetlana Kuzmina-Krutetskaia traveled from St. Petersburg. Heart to Heart’s children programs began in St. Petersburg and have since expanded into the heartland of Russia, providing thousands more children with the miracle of modern heart care. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135692077-3UJ3PL7KKPY1BVX3YHZP/H2H_1117.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Incoming Board President Dr. Keith Flachsbart with his wife Judith: Long-time board member Dr. Keith Flachsbart has performed open-heart surgery on multiple Heart to Heart educational missions in Russia. Collectively, the members of our Board possess decades of cardiac expertise as well as an understanding of Russian history, language, and culture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135806896-TGB88DKWU7PVZW8CO6RE/H2H_0947.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Awardee Michael Osborne with Jane Anderson (wife) and Alyson Kuhn: Michael Osborne is the founder of Joey’s Corner, the non-profit arm of Michael Osborne Design. Joey’s Corner provides professional-level branding and design services to Heart to Heart and other non-profit organizations that help children. Designers Michael and Jane frequently collaborate with Heart to Heart copywriter Alyson, who serves on the Board of Joey’s Corner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135700148-70BYTCE77IN3JLTIFPBO/H2H_1115.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Awardee Hersh Saluja with his wife Shalu: Shalu and Hersh are long-time supporters and generous patrons at all of our events. They have hosted exquisite cocktail parties for Heart to Heart medical volunteers and other donors in their beautiful home. Hersh finds time to consider not only the health of our patients and programs, but also the health of Heart to Heart as an organization. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556136346057-UUH166ZZCD9PKNVVQFYH/twogirls.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Heart to Heart Extraordinary Donor Award: This award acknowledges the spirit behind giving. We have had the great fortune to attract donors who are personally motivated to support our mission. For many people, our cause might seem like a long-term abstraction from from home. For our donors, helping to save a child’s life, regardless of where or when, is a precious opportunity not to be missed. Heart to Heart benefits not only from these donors’ generosity, but also from their respective talents. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135749270-IIU069KJ52P4Y7Z1W0JT/H2H_1028.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Heart to Heart Extraordinary Donor Award: Michael Osborne has been Heart to Heart’s guardian angel of graphic design for more than five years. Joey’s Corner, the 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded by Michael, provides strategic branding and design to non-profit groups at a fraction of market rates. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135768676-RPTUVTT57JS7OM66XUJ0/H2H_1016.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Heart to Heart Extraordinary Donor Award: Hersh Saluja has generously supported us for many years, opening his heart, his home, and his checkbook. A gracious entrepreneur, Hersh has funded three Heart to Heart internships and provided meeting space, a utility van, and modern computer equipment. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556136311819-FM3WNIMO9GHOTNYIIIHD/stan.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Dr. Stanley Higashino Award for Exceptional Medical Volunteerism: Dr. Stan Higashino (1930-1991) founded Heart to Heart in 1990 with Dr. Nilas Young and businesswoman Jo Ann McGowan. Stan and his wife Marcia went on Heart to Heart’s first four missions to Leningrad. Marcia recalls, Stan couldn’t accept the fact that if these children had been born in the US, they could be fixed and lead normal lives. Stan loved his work and the golden rule was his constant standard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135901500-JSFLHCQ42YSSWLOOIVBT/H2H_1019.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Board Member Lizbeth Hasse Announces Awardees: Lizbeth Hasse has served on the Heart to Heart Board as legal counsel for nearly 20 years. Liz has also served as chief legal counsel for international joint venture projects based in Russia, Ukraine, and Senegal, as well as in the US. She has traveled on several surgical-educational missions with Heart to Heart, using her proficiency in Russian to help develop children’s heart programs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135883317-ELG087YFPAX0LMI81L7W/H2H_1026.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Dr. Stanley Higashino Award for Exceptional Medical Volunteerism: Dr. Frank Cetta is Division Chair of Pediatric Cardiology at the Mayo Clinic. His versatility as a pediatric cardiologist and an adult congenital specialist, coupled with his talent for teamwork and teaching, make him an invaluable medical volunteer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135877117-DFG2IXE1BUNG2KXSQ6BP/H2H_1028.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Dr. Stanley Higashino Award for Exceptional Medical Volunteerism: Dr. Gary Raff is a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California. As the Lead Surgeon for our Samara project (2003-2009), Gary has been instrumental in helping our program there progress toward self-sustainability. Heart to Heart’s colleagues in Samara have already saved 1,500 children. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556136282089-ZDUXM84E86KN0Y09YV8L/joannemasha.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Jo Ann McGowan Humanitarian Award For Outstanding Volunteerism: JoAnn McGowan (1939-1996) was on a business trip in the Soviet Union in 1988 when she decided to save the life of a critically-ill child. By battling the Soviet bureaucracy to get the child to the US for help, Jo Ann became the catalyst that led to the saving of our first patient in 1989, and the founding of Heart to Heart the following year. Her tenacity and the compassion that inspired her initial act of kindness are permanently imprinted on our organizational culture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556135528103-RPT7K0FVF5EUSRS9OTXS/Glickman.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Jo Ann McGowan Humanitarian Award for Outstanding Volunteerism: Rose Glickman, PhD is a retired professor of Russian history. On Heart to Heart surgical missions, Rose excels at conducting in-depth interviews in Russian. Her writing gives voice to the realities, the fears, and the hopes of doctors, parents and children fighting heart disease. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556136171556-SM3MSGGPN8ZP2O1K78KT/Corky+%28Michelle%29+Hastings.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Jo Ann McGowan Humanitarian Award for Outstanding Volunteerism: Michelle “Corky” Hasting, RN retired from cardiac nursing in 1989, just in time to begin assisting Heart to Heart as a volunteer. For 20 consecutive trips, she has worked in our office three days a week. Corky’s sense of responsibility and meticulousness have set the standard for volunteer commitment. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556136003639-RFZ627SH2S80NHEBUS25/H2H_1035.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Jo Ann McGowan Humanitarian Award for Outstanding Volunteerism: Natasha Lusin, PhD joins our medical volunteers annually on Heart to Heart surgical-educational missions. Her fluency in Russian and knowledge of cardiac medicine make her an exceptional interpreter. Year-round, this skilled statistician lends her talent so Heart to Heart can convey complex surgical data at a glance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556136018474-2OW8EUP320751PAX7IU8/H2H_1036.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Jo Ann McGowan Humanitarian Award for Outstanding Volunteerism: Elena Senotova never gave up trying to find doctors in the USSR to treat her daughter’s life-threatening heart defect. Once Dr. Nilas Young had repaired 7-year-old Maria’s heart in Oakland, California, Elena began to work tirelessly on behalf of other Russian families – becoming a beacon of hope to mothers everywhere. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556136256303-499YWMOBEFBFS0KLAV5S/nilassurg.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Dr. Nilas Young Humanitarian Award for Medical Leadership: Cardiac surgeon Nilas Young founded Heart to Heart in 1990 with Dr. Stan Higashino and businesswoman Jo Ann McGowan. Nilas’s determination that our work have lasting impact has been the key to Heart to Heart’s successful educational program model. Nilas’s drive has been instrumental in helping us stay the course – demonstrating that our approach not only leads to self-sustainability but also is replicable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556136035802-8PRDX3FFDDRHHS8J3E9L/H2H_1043.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Dr. Nilas Young Humanitarian Award for Medical Leadership: Svetlana Kuzmina-Krutetskaia, MD, PhD has been a valued colleague in St. Petersburg since we met her in 1992. To share Heart to Heart’s teachings with the entire cardiac community, she established a city-wide forum. Dr. K’s integrity and her graceful leadership inspire others to emulate her professionalism. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556136049466-UQ66UQIYF06D00VMHM0F/H2H_1051.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Dr. Nilas Young Humanitarian Award for Medical Leadership: Vadim Lubomudrov, MD, PhD began to train as a pediatric cardiac surgeon in St. Petersburg with Dr. Nilas Young in 1990. Dr. Lubomudrov – despite having almost no colleagues in his own country – has successfully led his cardiac team in St. Petersburg to national acclaim, saving the lives of more than six thousand children. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556136214772-XJ6D8B0MY0MNKDGIROHS/nikablk.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Nika Pleshkova Thayer Humanitarian Visionary Award: Nika Pleshkova Thayer (1919-2008) supported Heart to Heart’s mission unconditionally, nourishing our growth financially for over a decade. “In recognition of the good works of Heart to Heart, please find enclosed our check for general charitable purposes. I’m confident it will be used wisely.” Nika understood that the return on her investment would not be immediate, but she had faith that it would ultimately lead to thousands of children’s lives being saved. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556136065438-HVS8D48Q34FVWKBSGWB0/H2H_1058.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Nika Pleshkova Thayer Humanitarian Visionary Award: Alexandr Zorin, MD, PhD – widely considered “the father” of cardiac surgery in Leningrad – was Heart to Heart’s first true partner. During the Cold War, his strategic thinking, leadership, and diplomatic skills helped launch our US-Russian collaboration – which has already saved the lives of more than 10,000 children and adults. (Dr. Alexandr Borisov, a protégé of Dr. Zorin, accepts the award on his behalf.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556136111333-O1ECVMGISEQOW1AEVR5X/H2H_1107.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery The Honorable Vladimir Vinokurov, Consul General of the Russian Federation: Since assuming his diplomatic post in San Francisco in 2007, Mr. Vinokurov has been an important liaison for Heart to Heart with Russia. His hospitality and generosity are matched by his eloquence as a spokesperson for Russian-American cooperation. He and his wife Lyubov have taken a personal interest in Heart to Heart’s expansion into the heartland of Russia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556136120169-9Y1ROA8AP6DASLNP3HBF/H2H_1132.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Maria Senotova, Heart to Heart’s First Patient, with Emcee Carolyn Johnson: Twenty years ago, ABC News provided extensive television coverage of 7-year-old Maria’s arrival from Soviet Russia to receive life-saving open-heart surgery in Oakland. This evening, ABC News Anchor Carolyn Johnson celebrates the dramatic achievements since 1989 with Maria and Heart to Heart. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556136093920-KU5F13A7HHHWW41FB8AP/H2H_1070.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Toasting Heart to Heart’s Continued Success: The evening concludes with guests standing to honor Heart to Heart’s achievements and to toast our future success. With the continued support of our board members and donors, our medical volunteers will train more colleagues and develop more pediatric heart centers where thousands more children will be saved every year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1556136104500-OBS90DGLRAUSDW42I9W3/H2H_1081.jpg 20th Anniversary Gallery Heart to Heart Founder & Medical Director Dr. Nilas Young: Dr. Young celebrates with all our guests his profound joy in Heart to Heart’s continued expansion and the saving of more and more young lives. Dr. Young expresses Heart to Heart’s 20th anniversary wish, reaffirming our vision: A child born with heart complications – anywhere in the world – will have access to the miracle of modern heart care. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/rostovondon-surgicaleducational-mission-3 daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557438881599-IJDVSDT3OH755466I9DI/DSC00362.jpg Rostov-on-Don Surgical-Educational Mission 3 - Dr. Keith Flachsbart: Providing Board Oversight (Copy) Dr. Keith Flachsbart: Providing Board Oversight Our Board President, Dr. Keith Flachsbart, is an adult cardiac surgeon. He is a veteran of several Heart to Heart surgical educational missions to St. Petersburg. In Rostov-on-Don, Dr. Flachsbart focused on assessing program progress and Heart to Heart’s evaluation methodology. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557439001505-JHAM8QFWR8LBRQ91E821/DSC00429.jpg Rostov-on-Don Surgical-Educational Mission 3 - Monitoring the Progress of "Old Friends" (Copy) Monitoring the Progress of "Old Friends" Anastasia was the joint team’s youngest surgical patient on our 2010 trip. A year later, she is thriving, and her mother now delights in every healthy day with her rosy-cheeked daughter. Our cardiologists also re-examined other children from our two previous trips to Rostov-on-Don. We love to see that surgical patients from past missions are doing so well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557439134997-D05YWA57EDP2SUDATCUU/DSC00326.jpg Rostov-on-Don Surgical-Educational Mission 3 - Dr. Mark Cocalis: Teaching in Small Groups (Copy) Dr. Mark Cocalis: Teaching in Small Groups For pediatric cardiologist and veteran Heart to Heartnik Mark Cocalis, addressing knowledge gaps is an ongoing priority. On all three of our missions to Rostov-on-Don, Dr. Cocalis has spent the majority of his time on the ground teaching. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557439211784-K2RJYWD9LEYLMPTJYQ9J/IMG_0954.jpg Rostov-on-Don Surgical-Educational Mission 3 - Dr. Laura Robertson: Maximizing Teaching Moments (Copy) Dr. Laura Robertson: Maximizing Teaching Moments Pediatric cardiologist Laura Robertson highlights teaching points during every echocardiogram. A veteran Heart to Heartnik and former board member, Dr. Robertson is a strong promoter of high-level communication between specialists. She observes, “Anticipating problems, planning as a team, and regrouping when a problem arises are critical skills for a pediatric cardiac team.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557439320960-270BMV7HYR8FAGAC7E8W/DSC00352.jpg Rostov-on-Don Surgical-Educational Mission 3 - A Resource for Children in the Southern Federal District (Copy) A Resource for Children in the Southern Federal District When Heart to Heart began our collaboration in Rostov-on-Don, physicians here – due to lack of cardiac expertise – routinely had to turn pediatric patients away. Heart to Heart is thankful to have the opportunity to work with these dedicated colleagues as they take on the challenge of learning to treat every child in need. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557439413109-X7AP0V72MFC0UQ86EXHE/DSC00436.jpg Rostov-on-Don Surgical-Educational Mission 3 - Filming for a National Television News Clip (Copy) Filming for a National Television News Clip A video crew films Dr. Mark Cocalis performing a fetal echocardiogram. Over two days, the crew captured many aspects of Heart to Heart’s collaboration in Rostov-on-Don. While our team was still on the ground, a three-minute news clip aired repeatedly for several days on Russia’s most popular national TV station. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557439504715-EFYPOZO0VXMLD765H3PX/DSC00425.jpg Rostov-on-Don Surgical-Educational Mission 3 - Danil: Born with a Very Rare Heart Defect (Copy) Danil: Born with a Very Rare Heart Defect Four-year-old Danil was one of our five surgical patients on the Rostov-on-Don 2011 mission. His condition provided Heart to Heart an opportunity to teach a surgical approach involving a staged repair (sequential operations). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557439764684-DYP37G4MDVJA5AUD8ZYO/DSC00405.jpg Rostov-on-Don Surgical-Educational Mission 3 - Programmatic Milestone (Copy) Programmatic Milestone Since Heart to Heart’s 2010 visit, the Rostov-on-Don OR team has outfitted the 30-year-old Center’s first dedicated pediatric cardiac operating room. For the local team, building out a dedicated OR is a major step in developing a cohesive pediatric cardiac program. Shown here: Dr. Artem Rosenberg and Dr. Alexandra Voropaeva. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557440090429-XWV2306HUBY88IL16SB7/DSC00393.jpg Rostov-on-Don Surgical-Educational Mission 3 - Dr. Gary Raff: Leading Surgery in Rostov-on-Don (Copy) Dr. Gary Raff: Leading Surgery in Rostov-on-Don Veteran Heart to Heart pediatric cardiac surgeon Gary Raff led the joint team in performing all five surgeries on this mission. Dr. Raff was also the lead surgeon for Heart to Heart’s program in Samara. He was instrumental in helping the Samara team achieve self-sustainability in 2009. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557440225406-6IXVT6FYMAVYDTSPFPH5/DSC00390.jpg Rostov-on-Don Surgical-Educational Mission 3 - Learning in Real-Time with Support Close at Hand (Copy) Learning in Real-Time with Support Close at Hand During this surgery, Dr. Alexander Kislitsky (right back) assists Dr. Gary Raff (left back). The Rostov team’s surgical technician (left front) has the opportunity to “scrub” for Dr. Raff, while her Heart to Heart counterpart Olesya Dushkova from UC Davis Medical Center (right front), provides oversight. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557440350105-PT69VOFKG47CK0K7HFWL/DSC00396.jpg Rostov-on-Don Surgical-Educational Mission 3 - Moving Forward as a Team (Copy) Moving Forward as a Team Heart to Heart teaches teamwork along the continuum of care, from diagnosis to surgical repair to post-operative intensive care and patient follow-up. Every surgeon knows that success depends on the skills and cohesiveness of the entire team, not only during the operation, but before and after as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557440433058-W3R6GHV2LEZVWEL4PN2L/DSC00403.jpg Rostov-on-Don Surgical-Educational Mission 3 - Communicating Among Specialists (Copy) Communicating Among Specialists Dr. Janet Simsic (middle), Heart to Heart’s lead pediatric cardiac intensivist, joins the OR team during the final stages of an operation. By observing firsthand in the OR, she gains a fuller understanding of the patient’s current condition. This will enable her and the joint PCICU team to provide better care for the patient post-operatively. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557440648916-Q15S2PVI73TRA1R6EUTT/DSC00410.jpg Rostov-on-Don Surgical-Educational Mission 3 - Caring for the Most Vulnerable of Patients (Copy) Caring for the Most Vulnerable of Patients Most children born with a life-threatening heart defect will need surgical intervention before reaching their first birthday. Caring for small children after heart surgery requires tremendous expertise and great attention to detail. Heart to Heart trains intensive care specialists in clinical assessment and proactive, anticipatory care – important skills for optimizing patient outcomes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557440764861-KAE8PYGI7DU6S6605NCG/Fyodor.jpg Rostov-on-Don Surgical-Educational Mission 3 - Sharing Expertise, Building Capacity & Offering Hope (Copy) Sharing Expertise, Building Capacity & Offering Hope One way to describe Heart to Heart’s work is as an export of pediatric cardiac best practices from the U.S. Providing strategic guidance, mentorship, and skills training, our medical volunteers teach teams of doctors and nurses in Russia to save children. Teams of pediatric cardiac specialists trained by Heart to Heart have already saved more than 12,000 young lives. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/lima-june-2016-gallery daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568924230613-C57QLZM9WJFQXMPUPE74/Screen+Shot+2019-09-19+at+1.16.59+PM.png Lima June 2016 Gallery - Welcome to Lima, Peru (Copy) Welcome to Lima, Peru One third of Peru’s 32 million inhabitants live in the capital city, Lima, the second largest city in the Americas. Each year in Peru, 6,000 babies are born with congenital heart defects (CHD); half of them will need surgery within the first three years of life if they are to survive. Lima is the only city in Peru where open heart surgery is available for children. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568922706569-L8D57P8FD9II6APS32V9/Screen+Shot+2019-09-19+at+12.42.56+PM.png Lima June 2016 Gallery - Leaders in Heart Care - INCOR, Lima (Copy) Leaders in Heart Care - INCOR, Lima INCOR’s high-volume center provides the most advanced heart care available in Peru. We are teaming up with INCOR specialists to work towards world-class care for all their patients as they increase patient volume and expand training for doctors at less establish centers both in Lima and the provinces. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568922701407-4C40I2S6E6JN3EG7SDQ3/IMG_2029.jpg Lima June 2016 Gallery - The Challenge of Leading (Copy) The Challenge of Leading As doctors at the leading cardiac institution in Peru, INCOR specialists see the country’s sickest babies and children each and every day. Heart to Heart is working to simultaneously enhance their capabilities to treat these very sick patients and also help the country to develop an efficient nationwide referral system. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568922780597-5QOTMF0B2O03SPOF38I2/Screen+Shot+2019-09-19+at+12.43.06+PM.png Lima June 2016 Gallery - Teamwide Approach (Copy) Teamwide Approach Our collaborations emphasize building the capacity of each subteam - cardiology, surgery, and post-operative intensive care. Each subteam needs to perform at a very high level in order for the whole team to reach world-class standards. (Shown here: Heart to Heart specialists with new Peruvian colleagues at INCOR, Lima.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568922751385-UJA7PESXD3PKIY6AIBD2/IMG_1787.jpg Lima June 2016 Gallery - Accurately Diagnosing All Heart Patients (Copy) Accurately Diagnosing All Heart Patients To expand care nationwide, cardiologists in underserved regions must be able to provide timely, accurate diagnoses as well as timely referrals to get their patients to surgery in time to be saved. Here, Dr. Frank Cetta examines a child with severe heart disease to assess heart function post-operatively as new colleagues look on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568922776265-VQIYUG9R5RV5NZ104EO9/IMG_2329.jpg Lima June 2016 Gallery - Surgery to repair Congenital Heart Defects (Copy) Surgery to repair Congenital Heart Defects Saving children born with CHD involves surgically repairing the heart. For a cardiac surgical team to be able to save any child born with CHD, they must learn the intricacies of many operations. Leading U.S. heart surgeon Kirk Kanter provided mentoring to our new colleagues, who are eager to master pediatric cardiac surgery, particularly on newborns - the gold standard in our field. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568922788392-M1FCJRTXYGGDJ5BXGF99/Screen+Shot+2019-09-19+at+12.43.13+PM.png Lima June 2016 Gallery - Newer, Less Invasive Type of Heart Repair (Copy) Newer, Less Invasive Type of Heart Repair In some cases, instead of open heart surgery, cardiologists can repair the heart by threading a catheter through the patient’s femoral artery to reach and modify the heart less invasively. Building on their current knowledge base, INCOR cardiologists are learning advanced procedures to provide more catheter-based treatment options for their patients. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568922733489-DGM09B5LL4CZA6CI8OU0/IMG_1013.jpg Lima June 2016 Gallery - Providing Intensive Care for Peru's Sickest Babies (Copy) Providing Intensive Care for Peru's Sickest Babies ICH Chief Dr. Ruben Ortiz (left) and his vibrant young team of more than 50 ICU physicians and nurses immediately recruited us into their team-wide effort to advance post-operative care, particularly for newborns. Their enthusiasm to learn led to rich open discussions with intensive care specialists, JoAnne Natale (center) to assess systems and protocols in their very busy unit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568922703453-YL16W67C0XUX4MES1GWL/momandbaby.jpg Lima June 2016 Gallery - Access to Heart Care for Everyone (Copy) Access to Heart Care for Everyone Heart to Heart provides advanced teaching and training in every aspect of cardiac care to treat both adults and children with heart disease. Our vision is that everyone around the world will have access to life-saving heart care - particularly babies and children born with life-threatening heart defects. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/february-2010-dinner-buffet-la-russe daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557427249160-RXJ3F600AFMKYXA02MQB/DSC_1263L.jpg February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - The Official Residence of the Russian Consul General, San Francisco (Copy) The Official Residence of the Russian Consul General, San Francisco The Honorable Vladimir Vinokurov, Consul General of the Russian Federation, and his wife Lyubov host an evening for Heart to Heart at their private residence. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557427343885-IH6N1Z02SMIQ0OVAKN1F/DSC_1297L.jpg February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - Consul General Vladimir Vinokurov with his Wife Lyubov (Copy) Consul General Vladimir Vinokurov with his Wife Lyubov Our gracious hosts greet guests arriving at their home. Since Mr. Vinokurov assumed his post in San Francisco in 2007, the Vinokurovs have hosted hundreds of Heart to Heart medical volunteers and supporters at the Consulate, as well as hosting intimate gatherings à la Russe in their home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557427498975-PFXCXW09GMRE54RUH6YK/DSC_1304L.jpg February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - Consul General Vladimir Vinokurov (Copy) Consul General Vladimir Vinokurov Consul General Vinokurov expresses his appreciation of Heart to Heart’s work to save children in Russia. In 2009, the Vinokurovs celebrated with us both the “graduation” of our children’s heart program in Samara and the launch of our newest program, in Rostov-on-Don. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557427676933-4JRKKL574H6ZOBP41AOK/DSC_1305.JPG February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - Guests Enjoy Welcoming Remarks (Copy) Guests Enjoy Welcoming Remarks The evening brings together Heart to Heart donors, medical volunteers, and special supporters. Their generosity and faith in our work fuel our continued progress. Tonight, our guests feel personally rewarded by the announcement that at Heart to Heart sponsored sites, our colleague have now saved 10,000 children. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557427770509-JAFR7HNATJRR5JT4VH55/DSC_1296.JPG February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - The Legendary Nataliya Makarova with the Vinokurovs (Copy) The Legendary Nataliya Makarova with the Vinokurovs Nataliya Makarova is a former Prima Ballerina with the Kirov ballet. She and other Russian-born dancers are helping Heart to Heart raise awareness of the plight of babies born with heart disease. We appreciate their support of our mission to develop heart centers where these children can be saved. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557427875976-VRHX87RGB5EJ9IZVS3IF/DSC_1301A.jpg February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - Heart to Heart Governing Board of Directors (Copy) Heart to Heart Governing Board of Directors From left: Dr. Keith Flachsbart, President; Josie Everett, Executive Director; Margaret Niland, Secretary; Lizbeth Hasse, Legal Counsel; Dr. Laura Robertson; Dr. Nilas Young, Founder & Medical Director; Steve holland, Chairman. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557427998695-HBKNPXN4IUPI3LWWERHV/DSC_1281C.jpg February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - KRON Channel 4 Weekend News Anchor Marty Gonzalez (Copy) KRON Channel 4 Weekend News Anchor Marty Gonzalez Marty Gonzalez (left) and his wife Sue talk with Chairman Steve Holland about Marty’s perspective on Heart to Heart’s work. To mark Heart to Heart’s 20th anniversary in 2009, Marty interviewed Founder Dr. Nilas Young and Executive Director Josie Everett on the KRON morning news show. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557431020271-GU763O0Y1MHNH3L28229/DSC_1311A.jpg February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - Journalist Irina McKay (Copy) Journalist Irina McKay Irina McKay is a special correspondent for Golos Rodiny, a Russian-language newspaper distributed in 49 countries. The December 2009 issue includes Irina’s feature story on Heart to Heart’s twenty years of life-saving work in the USSR and the new Russia. On this occasion, she is accompanied by her husband Donald and son Artem. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557431155216-QVR9POWE58OITMBAYHRZ/DSC_1287LA.jpg February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - San Francisco Ballet Principal Dancers Maria Kochetkova and Gennadi Nedvigin (Copy) San Francisco Ballet Principal Dancers Maria Kochetkova and Gennadi Nedvigin Heart to Heart’s Executive Director Josie Everett expresses her appreciation for the support of these exceptionally talented international stars. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557431281424-OUJ9O4JFG24476YV35UI/DSC_1321A.jpg February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - Heart to Heart Medical Volunteers (Copy) Heart to Heart Medical Volunteers From left: Dr. Nilas Young, Dr. David Teitel, Dr. Frank Cetta, nurse Lynn Graham, Dr. Laura Robertson. One pediatric cardiac surgeon, three pediatric cardiologists, one clinical nurse – with more than 40 Heart to Heart surgical-educational missions between them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557431388290-MLPHG8NCMCKAE147AQ20/DSC_1310.JPG February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - Dinner Buffet À La Russe (Copy) Dinner Buffet À La Russe The dining room is picture perfect, with a sumptuous array of classic appetizers on a traditional Russian table setting. Ruskii stol! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557431490273-3M3W79IV5OJVBF32E442/DSC_1279.JPG February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - Guests Enjoy the Evening (Copy) Guests Enjoy the Evening Heart to Heart volunteer Karina Lawrence (right) talks with consular staffers Natalia Slavkina and Nina Esaulova. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557431574708-MDH0EWE44ZHGFAQ8LMS2/DSC_1266.JPG February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - Heart to Heart President Dr. Keith Flachsbart (Copy) Heart to Heart President Dr. Keith Flachsbart Dr. Flachsbart has been actively involved with Heart to Heart for nearly ten years. In addition to his international humanitarian work, he played a key role in developing the cardiac surgery program at Kaiser Permanente, San Francisco. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557431679366-KUCDRUREKLO9FRPRHNQO/DSC_1317.JPG February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - Russian Consuls Yuri Korneev and Nikolai Esaulov (Copy) Russian Consuls Yuri Korneev and Nikolai Esaulov The consular team in San Francisco continues to provide exceptional logistical support to Heart to Heart, granting our medical volunteers easy access to all parts of the Russian Federation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557431769648-HS55ASWTIJ34HKRU404M/DSC_1291.JPG February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - The Legendary Nataliya Makarova with Her Husband, Edward Karkar (Copy) The Legendary Nataliya Makarova with Her Husband, Edward Karkar Born in Leningrad, Nataliya danced with the Kirov Ballet until 1970. She went on to dance with the American Ballet Theatre and the Royal Ballet in London. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557431858980-O70GCGTFV8EGDMM4MY58/DSC_1275E.jpg February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - Guests Enjoy the Party (Copy) Guests Enjoy the Party Loyal supporters (from left) Sharon & Phil Gardner and Paul & Ginger Bonnar always welcome a chance to catch up at Heart to Heart events. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557431942220-8NWZLIF15GY35OQ1VDMS/DSC_1276A.jpg February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - Board Member Margaret Niland (Left) with Alyson Kuhn (Copy) Board Member Margaret Niland (Left) with Alyson Kuhn Margaret has been on Heart to Heart’s board for more than five years and is currently Secretary. Alyson, a freelance copywriter, has worked with Heart to Heart for several years. They have both participated on a surgical-educational mission to Russia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557434694051-DG35VIC71CTSLAH9ICMI/DSC_1269A.jpg February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - San Francisco Ballet Principal Dancer Gennadi Nedvigin (Copy) San Francisco Ballet Principal Dancer Gennadi Nedvigin Gennadi Nedvigin has been a principal dancer with the San Francisco Ballet since 2000. Trained at the Bolshoi School, Gennadi danced with the Moscow Renaissance Ballet and Le Jeune Ballet de France. On this occasion, he is accompanied by friend Miho Utaka. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557434817034-Z7AT8CSNE9NY5NAW7BEA/DSC_1283A.jpg February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - Guests Enjoy the Party (Copy) Guests Enjoy the Party Valentina & Alex Latkovetsky with Nina Esaulova. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557434896624-A9CYP42A58JB0Y2QP1IO/DSC_1327A.jpg February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - Guest Anya Golodovskaya (Copy) Guest Anya Golodovskaya Anya Golodovskaya, long-time Heart to Heart volunteer, smiles upon hearing about our upcoming milestone: In 2010, our Russian colleagues trained by Heart will save their ten thousandth child. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557435084248-UZ30XL8ZBGQOL7FXR21V/DSC_1302.JPG February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - Guests Enjoy the Party (Copy) Guests Enjoy the Party From left: Dr. Cristina Young, Dr. Roger Ecker, and Judy Ecker. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557435167424-6VP9PWMRJDVL8M7LJLFA/DSC_1271A.jpg February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - San Francisco Ballet Principal Dancer Maria Kochetkova (Copy) San Francisco Ballet Principal Dancer Maria Kochetkova Maria has been with the San Francisco Ballet as a principal dancer since 2007. A native of Moscow, she joined the Bolshoi Ballet School when she was 10. Prior to coming to San Francisco, she danced with the Royal Ballet and the National Ballet in London. Newly-married, she is shown here with her husband Edward. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557435876519-EV0T58ZIAMC6540EE7A9/DSC_1328A.jpg February 2010 Dinner Buffet à la Russe - Heart to Heart Cupids Julia (Left) and Lucie (Copy) Heart to Heart Cupids Julia (Left) and Lucie Julia and Lucie greeted guests and helped with coats. For these aspiring ballerinas, the chance to talk with famous Russian dancers is a great thrill. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/st-petersburg-25th-anniversary daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591135877448-EV2LJ1GBXEQX4EKY2B75/02+%281%29.JPG St. Petersburg 25th Anniversary - Our First Patient: Fast Forward 25 Years (Copy) Our First Patient: Fast Forward 25 Years When we met Masha, she could barely walk. Soviet doctors considered her inoperable. Masha’s successful surgery in Oakland, California was the catalyst for founding Heart to Heart Global Cardiac Care. Today, Masha leads an active life and is the mother of a healthy son. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591228586940-E980GT6IBFEO1IP72VJC/04%2B%25281%2529.jpg St. Petersburg 25th Anniversary - Praying for a Miracle (Copy) Praying for a Miracle Pasha D. trembled under the stern hand of his grandmother while they waited for a spot on Heart to Heart’s surgical schedule. During the successful operation, his grandmother sat silently praying in a corner. Successful outcomes were considered miraculous in Russia in the early 1990s. Today, all children in St. Petersburg have access to life-saving cardiac care. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591135910954-8TPABLYHL0PIERPVEM48/07+%281%29.JPG St. Petersburg 25th Anniversary - Co-Founder Stanley Higashino with Heart Patient in St. Petersburg (Copy) Co-Founder Stanley Higashino with Heart Patient in St. Petersburg Dr. Higashino shared our hope for a better future for children born with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) in the Soviet Union. His vision included the addition of a cath lab to bring state-of-the-art diagnoses and treatments to the children of Leningrad. Thanks to donations from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and Toshiba, Dr. Higashino’s vision became a life-saving legacy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591135916360-EDLZUH12DTY51F52E14Y/09.jpg St. Petersburg 25th Anniversary - Providing Heart Care For All Children Around the World (Copy) Providing Heart Care For All Children Around the World After 30 years, hundreds of new specialists trained, and more than 30,000 children saved, Heart to Heart remains steadfast in our commitment to our vision: A child born with a heart defect – anywhere in the world – will have access to life-saving heart care. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591135886139-IERMP6GITFAH7DZLYUDW/03+%281%29.JPG St. Petersburg 25th Anniversary - Very Common, Yet Highly Treatable (Copy) Very Common, Yet Highly Treatable Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defect worldwide. Today, the vast majority of children around the globe still lack access to life-saving surgery. For so many children around the globe a single surgery is needed. By partnering with local medical professionals throughout Russia, we have given over 30,000 children like two-year-old Igor (pictured) the gift of life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591135914737-KOWMQ4TK0RDC1ABSRKPI/08+%281%29.JPG St. Petersburg 25th Anniversary - Honoring the Memory of our Pioneer Patients (Copy) Honoring the Memory of our Pioneer Patients Ten-year-old Genya P., and his father Yuri, wait patiently before the boy’s high-risk heart surgery. Timely treatment is critical for children born with CHD. During the Soviet Era, the vast majority of Russian children born with CHD died. We honor the memory of our Russian Pioneer Patients by working to ensure all children have access to life-saving heart care. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1591135895330-8WYG92H3DSGPWP05W3Z0/05+%282%29.JPG St. Petersburg 25th Anniversary - Education and Training – the Core of Heart to Heart's Work (Copy) Education and Training – the Core of Heart to Heart's Work In 1990, very few open heart surgeries were performed on children in the USSR. Above, doctors and medical students observe modern surgical techniques as the Heart to Heart team operates at St. Petersburg’s Children’s Hospital No. 1. Today, in part thanks to Heart to Hear, more than 6,000 open heart procedures are performed throughout the country. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/lima-trip-gallery-2017 daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553204790660-SIZIT5NJWZ8DDPXH02PF/19944243_10155291998448382_4158860606562876407_o.jpg Lima Training Mission, March 2017 The Heart to Heart-INCOR team lines up outside INCOR – our first partner site in Peru. Our volunteer cardiac specialists represent leading programs from Atlanta to Minnesota and Philadelphia to San Francisco – and all bring much-needed specialized expertise from a variety of departments. Many thanks to our Peruvian colleagues and our volunteers for their hard work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553204789691-PYVG1J5YY06TVJL44PTE/19944277_10155291915763382_995563990850064743_o.jpg Lima Training Mission, March 2017 Santiago was one of many children who were operated on during the latest trip in Lima. INCOR families had to wait as their children underwent life-changing procedures. A 3- to 4-hour operation saves the life of child with a VSD and, for many parents, these hours can feel like eternity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553204790264-7VEXMYOUD70ZGOK55QFK/19944319_10155291915553382_3223363064957858255_o+%281%29.jpg Lima Training Mission, March 2017 Each year more than 6,000 babies in Peru are born with congenital heart disease (CHD). Among them, 2,000 will have a hole in their heart known as a ventricular septal defect (VSD) – the medical and surgical theme of our latest mission. To repair a VSD on an infant’s tiny heart – like one-year-old Eyma’s (pictured) – requires expertise and teamwork. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553204790740-O446V2UXIBS8EDGDAD7V/19956960_10155291915798382_838952212742173162_o.jpg Lima Training Mission, March 2017 One of the Heart to Heart-INCOR team’s patients was Santiago, a four-year-old boy diagnosed with a VSD. Thankfully, Santiago was able to undergo surgery during our trip – within the window of time he was still operable. His surgery was successful and this warm and engaging child will go on to thrive! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553204791079-J2SKB0PMZG1LQLIMIEL0/20017659_10155291915548382_1176424026834714019_o.jpg Lima Training Mission, March 2017 Our medical specialists provided team-wide education and clinical training on traditional and newer methods to treat children with VSDs. Here, Heart to Heart volunteer Dr. Frank Cetta (cardiologist, Mayo Clinic), points out a child’s VSD in an echocardiogram. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/costa-rica-nov-2021 daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1639169393676-BPA8Y32KWDRPORG1VPEH/cetta+echo+fontan.JPG Costa Rica 2021 Photo Gallery Longtime Heart to Heart medical volunteer, congenital cardiologist Dr. Frank Cetta of the Mayo Clinic (center) performs an echocardiogram on heart patient Daniel as local interventional cardiologist Dr. Carlos Mas looks on. Five-year-old Daniel had recently undergone the Fontan surgery for his complex congenital heart defect. His repair was successful, and he is doing well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1639170100939-JAGCVJHTXKCVF8W8QV50/Photo+Nov+05%2C+10+49+04.jpg Costa Rica 2021 Photo Gallery Heart to Heart medical volunteers and our Costa Rican colleagues examine and discuss a post-operative patient recovering in the intensive care unit. Group discussions are an important part of Heart to Heart’s collaborative approach to knowledge transfer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1640113081587-MTALVZ4XYAHZVNWUVNJA/Photo+Nov+04%2C+07+29+06.jpg Costa Rica 2021 Photo Gallery Pediatric cardiac surgeon Dr. Kirk Kanter of Emory University / Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (right) presents a lecture on the surgical treatment of atrioventricular septal defects. Dr. Hernan Carcamo (green scrubs) interprets the lecture into Spanish. Bilingual communication is a vital part of Heart to Heart’s education and training approach. It is critically important that nuances of cardiac medicine – rarely found in textbooks – are clearly conveyed to the local team. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1639169537383-ZL8DDYNDGSHTI50RSBLI/wilson%26alfonso2.JPG Costa Rica 2021 Photo Gallery Pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist Dr. Beth Wilson of Emory University / Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (right) presents a lecture on anesthesiology considerations for the Ross procedure as Dr. Teresita Alfonso (left) provides consecutive interpreting. All local specialists – doctors, nurses, and technicians alike – are encouraged to attend and participate during lectures. Eighteen hospital staff members attended this lecture and the Q&A session that followed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1639169678301-RAD5IM3RKF1MQNSB1R59/Photo+Nov+06%2C+14+21+51.jpg Costa Rica 2021 Photo Gallery Each year 700 children are born with congenital heart disease in Costa Rica. In March 2022, Heart to Heart will conduct our first surgical-educational training mission to the National Children’s Hospital. We are excited to help expand cardiac care in this country, so all children and adults will have access to the life-saving heart care they need. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/torreon-1 daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553200088060-WAGWSCR93L7S1TI60RHC/IMG_8390.JPG Torreon, Mexico Surgical-Educational Mission 1 - HOSPITAL UNIVERSITARIO (Copy) HOSPITAL UNIVERSITARIO Located in the northern part of the country, the city of Torreon is home to Latin America’s largest university–the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Hospital Universitario (shown here) serves as a medical hub for the approximately 10 million people living in this tri-state area of northern Mexico. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553200058703-DANVYSPKYO61O4T3M2NJ/IMG_8147.JPG Torreon, Mexico Surgical-Educational Mission 1 - ECHOCARDIOGRAM (Copy) ECHOCARDIOGRAM Timely diagnosis of a heart defect can mean the difference between life and death for a child. An echocardiography machine (shown here) provides ultrasound images of the heart while it is beating (an echocardiogram). The moving images enable clinicians to gain detailed information regarding the size and function of heart chambers, valves, and major blood vessels attached to the heart. Echo machines are the most commonly used equipment for diagnosing heart problems. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553200090662-IP84FE49XDGXVAYRJDVG/IMG_8250.JPG Torreon, Mexico Surgical-Educational Mission 1 - WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY (Copy) WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY In regions of the world where heart surgery programs are not yet developed, there is a considerable lack of awareness of CHD. Hence children with CHD go undiagnosed until they are sick enough to show symptoms, or even, worse, die a sudden death. Unfortunately, a late diagnosis means heart surgery can no longer save some children. Heart to Heart volunteers (shown here) Kavitha Pundi, MD (left) and echosonographer Dina Schmidt (seated) examined and diagnosed 20 children. Sadly, many had already become inoperable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553200121186-G0LL6P6XFQYMZZ53MXB8/IMG_8564.JPG Torreon, Mexico Surgical-Educational Mission 1 - HEART TO HEART’S FIRST PATIENT IN MEXICO (Copy) HEART TO HEART’S FIRST PATIENT IN MEXICO A bright, energetic first grader, seven-year-old Alejandro enjoys playing soccer and anything and everything related to Spider-Man. Flanked by his mother on one side and Heart to Heart volunteer Grace Arteaga, MD of the Mayo Clinic on the other, Alejandro is well cared for in the ICU. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553200180009-KLU524IW451W9KAYBJ6F/IMG_8998.JPG Torreon, Mexico Surgical-Educational Mission 1 - MENTORING TO BUILD CAPACITY (Copy) MENTORING TO BUILD CAPACITY Working closely with the nascent local Torreon team, our volunteers prepared to perform the FIRST EVER open heart surgery on a child at Torreon’s well-established hospital. Heart to Heart volunteer, pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist Laura Berenstain, MD, (right) discusses processes critical for maintaining patient safety before, during, and immediately after open heart surgery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553200118451-S7OFQF550W0JTRJ7GWTH/IMG_8432.JPG Torreon, Mexico Surgical-Educational Mission 1 - LACK OF TRAINED SPECIALISTS (Copy) LACK OF TRAINED SPECIALISTS Aitana was born with one of the most common heart defects. But where her family lives, most children born with CHD go undetected and untreated, leading to premature and/or sudden death. The Heart to Heart-Torreon Team performed life-saving surgery on Aitana on December 11, 2018. Aitana was the first child ever to undergo open heart surgery at the University Hospital, Torreon, Mexico. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553200179911-98V5FSS7DH5KF3A8L0VR/IMG_9186.JPG Torreon, Mexico Surgical-Educational Mission 1 - OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE (Copy) OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE Heart to Heart volunteers had the opportunity to work with Torreon’s emerging team to jointly perform their first open heart surgery on a child at their hospital. Moments before open heart surgery, Heart to Heart volunteer physicians, Laura Berenstain, MD (left) and Kavitha Pundi, MD (right) monitor Baby Aitana as they administer anesthesia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553200054890-1EMXMGFTJHB9EW5EN19Z/IMG_0074.JPG Torreon, Mexico Surgical-Educational Mission 1 - TEAM WORK (Copy) TEAM WORK To begin a pediatric heart program requires a minimum of 25 specialists, including surgeons, anesthesiologists, perfusionists, cardiologists, and intensive care doctors and nurses. After leaving the operating room, the transport team (shown here) delivers our young patient to the ICU, where a team of doctors and nurses specializing in the post-operative care of children after heart surgery will provide her with bedside care 24/7. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553200150775-65AQ3GJMDOWF7X3MML14/IMG_8883.JPG Torreon, Mexico Surgical-Educational Mission 1 - ROLE OF NURSES (Copy) ROLE OF NURSES There are several different types of nurses needed to field a full pediatric cardiac team, including operating room (OR) nurses (aka surgical technicians), OR circulating nurses, as well as a cadre of pediatric cardiac intensive care nurses, who work around the clock 365 days a year. Heart to Heart volunteer Olesya Dushkova (left) works with the OR nursing staff in Torreon, Mexico to review best practices in sterile technique. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553200187104-CP15L3X71794BG7WWWLY/IMG_9875.JPG Torreon, Mexico Surgical-Educational Mission 1 - AN ART AND SCIENCE (Copy) AN ART AND SCIENCE Pediatric cardiac medicine is both an art and a science. Our success mantra: the right patient, at the right time, with the right operation. Surgical step one for our 6-month old patient is making an incision in her chest (shown here). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553200150682-JOAE5OQITK4GR5UWF6BP/IMG_8688.JPG Torreon, Mexico Surgical-Educational Mission 1 - LOCAL HOLIDAY (Copy) LOCAL HOLIDAY Heart to Heart's team arrived during a week-long celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Each day during our training mission, locals participated in parades marked by festive music and dance (shown here). Parades marched through town culminating at the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553200036071-U2BHW027S6QUKHHW9ADE/IMG_0323.JPG Torreon, Mexico Surgical-Educational Mission 1 - COMMUNITY SUPPORT (Copy) COMMUNITY SUPPORT It takes a village to support the development of a new children’s heart program. Heart to Heart builds relationships with regional stakeholders who will not only support our multiyear educational collaboration, but will financially support the evolving local pediatric team during and after our collaboration. A panel of supportive administrators and officials (shown here) discuss the Heart to Heart-Torreon collaboration at a press conference televised nationally. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553200037192-F0LQ7X6J3GYMD45OVU9M/IMG_0399.JPG Torreon, Mexico Surgical-Educational Mission 1 - SHARING YEARS OF MEDICAL EXPERIENCE (Copy) SHARING YEARS OF MEDICAL EXPERIENCE Heart to Heart’s volunteers are leading physicians as well as committed educators: they generously share their decades of experience so that aspiring pediatric cardiac specialists in areas of need around the world can begin programs to save children with CHD in their local communities. Pediatric cardiac surgeon Gary W. Raff, MD (UC Davis Medical Center) and pediatric cardiac intensive care physician Grace Arteaga, MD (Mayo Clinic, Rochester) helped lead our first training mission in Mexico. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553200057764-P7HK9MK0NNTCZI42X70R/IMG_0464.JPG Torreon, Mexico Surgical-Educational Mission 1 - SAVING THE LIFE OF A CHILD (Copy) SAVING THE LIFE OF A CHILD To date, nearly 30,000 children's lives have been saved through cardiac surgical procedures performed at Heart to Heart partner sites around the globe. Sweet Aitana (shown here) two days post surgery, recovering and resting well in the pediatric intensive care unit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553200035015-ZDT4KQKCKELMHDDCXUPV/IMG_0281.JPG Torreon, Mexico Surgical-Educational Mission 1 - READY TO GO HOME (Copy) READY TO GO HOME All of us on the Heart to Heart-Torreon team fell in love with Alejandro’s beautiful smile and spirit. Days after surgery, Alejandro gazes through the window of the ICU, anticipating going home and back to school to play with his friends. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/tomsk-2012 daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916219014-OCHBM2IYN05LBG44NKVJ/T2012+02.JPG Tomsk 2012 Gallery - Heart to Heart's Seventh & Final Team Mission to Tomsk, Siberia (Copy) Heart to Heart's Seventh & Final Team Mission to Tomsk, Siberia After seven years of educational collaboration between Heart to Heart and the Tomsk Cardiology Institute, our children’s heart program in Tomsk has achieved self-sustainability right on schedule. The Tomsk Pediatric Heart Center at the Tomsk Cardiology Institute can treat any child born with a heart defect, with excellent surgical results. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916246255-3JDOTEGRX8QIIRZVRKK5/T2012+03.JPG Tomsk 2012 Gallery - Heart to Heart's Criteria for Self-Sustainability (Copy) Heart to Heart's Criteria for Self-Sustainability Heart to Heart’s program model is designed to guide an emerging team to: 1) Reach an annual volume ≥ 250 pediatric open heart cases with excellent results; 2) Master the surgical repair of all congenital heart defects; 3) Provide timely treatment to all children, including newborns. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916239567-Y3ACA5M869TYRUN6BLSL/T2012+05.JPG Tomsk 2012 Gallery - Program Component #1: Data collection & analysis (Copy) Program Component #1: Data collection & analysis The success of any pediatric cardiac program is measured by its surgical outcomes. In Tomsk, we introduced a universal standard for collecting and analyzing patient data. Then we role-modelled how to use these data for programmatic self-evaluation. The Tomsk team readily embraced this best practice, benefitting thousands of children. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916263990-NFS5X2VS7KNX4WMBODYP/T2012+06.JPG Tomsk 2012 Gallery - Program Component #2: Strategic guidance & leadership development (Copy) Program Component #2: Strategic guidance & leadership development Throughout the collaboration, members of Heart to Heart’s Medical Advisory Council routinely reviewed the Tomsk team’s surgical outcomes – for individual patients and for the annual case mix. These analyses enabled Heart to Heart to provide valuable feedback on programmatic and clinical next steps. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916272224-1RW1YXZC9PJPI9I1V65M/T2012+07.JPG Tomsk 2012 Gallery - Leadership, Teamwork, and Systems Development (Copy) Leadership, Teamwork, and Systems Development Developing and implementing systems in Tomsk to support a highly functional infrastructure was key to progress toward self-sustainability. Heart to Heart role-modelled and emphasized the value of systems and teamwork. We mentored department heads and introduced best practices in presentations designed for all team members. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916390159-3VY5R9QHRPYHX60BZ2IX/T2012+08.jpg Tomsk 2012 Gallery - Program Component #3: Annual surgical-educational missions (Copy) Program Component #3: Annual surgical-educational missions For nearly two weeks each year in Tomsk, a Heart to Heart team worked side-by-side with Russian physicians to diagnose, perform open heart surgery, and provide post-operative intensive care. Following six surgical-educational missions, our seventh (final) mission was dedicated to advanced medical topics, including newborn management and nurse training. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916288031-VPQB7VJ3K8OSZG324JYW/T2012+09.JPG Tomsk 2012 Gallery - Our two-pronged approach: Teaching + training in Tomsk (Copy) Our two-pronged approach: Teaching + training in Tomsk Our teaching involved a progressive overview of pediatric cardiac medicine in classroom settings, where learners benefitted from presentations tailored for their team. Our training was primarily hands-on, allowing each learner to apply new knowledge under the supervision of one of our highly-experienced specialists. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916311687-QKUI6JW5K4TT3V79SA3O/T2012+10.JPG Tomsk 2012 Gallery - Teaching pediatric cardiac medicine: Data and knowledge (Copy) Teaching pediatric cardiac medicine: Data and knowledge In the course of the collaboration, Heart to Heart provided more than 200 teaching hours to the Tomsk team. Heart to Heart used several teaching and training formats: our volunteers held daily case conferences; provided customized lectures and workshops; presented data reviews; and led Morbidity & Mortality conferences. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916327268-4DEN9J36B9N2G017YBLO/T2012+11.JPG Tomsk 2012 Gallery - Training: Applying new knowledge in daily practice (Copy) Training: Applying new knowledge in daily practice While caring for patients side-by-side with our Tomsk colleagues, we utilized three optimum settings for hands-on experiential learning: the examining room, the operating theater, and the intensive care unit. In the course of the collaboration, the Heart to Heart-Tomsk team jointly performed a total of 780 diagnostic, surgical, and post-operative procedures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916368586-AYOBKXVE3SVWVYIZ0A65/T2012+12.jpg Tomsk 2012 Gallery - Program Component #4: Scholar exchange & continuing education (Copy) Program Component #4: Scholar exchange & continuing education During the collaboration, five colleagues from Tomsk travelled to leading centers in the U.S. They job-shadowed their Heart to Heart colleagues, observed U.S. best practices, and discussed concrete ways of introducing new ideas at their home institution. (Above: Tomsk surgeon Dr. Andrei Podoksenov in Philadelphia with world-renowned pediatric cardiac surgeon Dr. Tom Spray) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916388680-QF6GI2QPCGABEXX23OQP/T2012+13.jpg Tomsk 2012 Gallery - Evgeniy Krivoschekov, chief pediatric cardiac surgeon (Copy) Evgeniy Krivoschekov, chief pediatric cardiac surgeon Dr. Krivoschekov, the leader of Tomsk’s pediatric cardiac team, benefitted from a total of 6 months of patient-centered experiential learning through Heart to Heart. In the U.S., he spent 9 weeks at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Mayo Clinic, and UC San Francisco. In Russia, he spent 13 weeks with Heart to Heart in Tomsk, plus 3 weeks at our sites in St. Petersburg and Samara. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916487690-OPSZ3OJNJDK5PHMXUXW4/T2012+14.jpg Tomsk 2012 Gallery - 2012 Mission highlights: Advanced medical education (Copy) 2012 Mission highlights: Advanced medical education In the last year of our collaboration, the Tomsk team’s department heads requested an emphasis on advanced medical education (rather than surgical and clinical skills training). To honor their request, Heart to Heart customized 9 lectures and provided a tailored course in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) to an audience of over 40 specialists. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916403377-K9HQ868IJGQY99CJ0EFW/T2012+15.JPG Tomsk 2012 Gallery - Training course in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) (Copy) Training course in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Veteran Heart to Heart nurses Brenda Jarvis and Lisa Poppell led two PALS courses based on the American Heart Association training program. More than 40 nurses and doctors attended the training. Each person attended two 3-hour lectures followed by break-out sessions for hands-on training in small groups. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916418553-ZTDXRPP55UBMTOS10L5G/T2012+16.JPG Tomsk 2012 Gallery - Newborn management: Caring for our most delicate patients (Copy) Newborn management: Caring for our most delicate patients Internationally known neonatologist Dr. G. Ganesh Konduri, the only newcomer on this year’s team, led our educational focus on newborns. His topics included: pre-operative management, fluid and electrolyte monitoring, thermal regulation. Other lecturers presented on: cardiac emergencies, congestive heart failure, team-building and quality assurance in the cath lab. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916428646-MC42UCDMF3JESVZ5S7CG/T2012+17.JPG Tomsk 2012 Gallery - Role-modelling best practices: Patient follow up (Copy) Role-modelling best practices: Patient follow up We first met Roman R. in April 2010, when the joint Heart to Heart-Tomsk team performed his second open heart surgery. The accepted best practice at U.S. heart centers is for follow-up examinations to be provided by the same cardiologists who initially diagnosed the child. Here, Dr. Stu Berger conducts Roman’s annual follow-up exam and recommends next steps. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916435634-LJ0ITTN1WU4VFKGJ4ZK3/T2012+18.JPG Tomsk 2012 Gallery - Nurse training in Tomsk (Copy) Nurse training in Tomsk Lisa Poppell RN led a PALS break-out session guiding Tomsk pediatric cardiac nurses through the management of crisis scenarios. Between 2006 and 2012, Nurse Poppell and three other pediatric intensive care nurses collectively travelled to Siberia 17 times on Heart to Heart missions to care for children post-operatively and to train Russian nurses. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916477882-GQ70Y98JE4T4NX3HDF4Q/T2012+19.jpg Tomsk 2012 Gallery - The right procedure for the right child at the right time (Copy) The right procedure for the right child at the right time During our seven-year collaboration, 1,775 children were saved in Tomsk. Moving forward, 500 children will have the benefit of modern heart care at this Heart to Heart site each year. In addition to becoming a true center of excellence, the Tomsk Pediatric Heart Center has emerged as a national training site – helping to save children all over Russia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568916534707-C7214SGURL1FMJRU6OGL/T2012+21.jpg Tomsk 2012 Gallery - Congratulations & love to our Tomsk colleagues! (Copy) Congratulations & love to our Tomsk colleagues! The pediatric cardiac team at the Tomsk Pediatric Heart Center is now able to routinely perform complex procedures on children of all ages, including newborns. Their excellent surgical results are comparable to outcomes at established U.S. centers. Heart to Heart feels privileged to have worked with them – and proud to have them as colleagues. Наши сердечные поздравления! https://www.heart-2-heart.org/costa-rica-assessment daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622059256158-O7QJOCFJHZSYFW33AQFG/beach.jpeg Costa Rica Assessment - HEART TO HEART’S NEWEST GOING GLOBAL SITE (Copy) HEART TO HEART’S NEWEST GOING GLOBAL SITE Home to about five million people, Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse places in the world, popular for ecotourism thanks to its tropical rainforests, cloud forests, beaches, and mountains. Heart to Heart’s first site assessment to the capital city, San Jose, took place in October 2019, when this Pacific coast beach shot was photographed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622059358117-KJWPPX5J3H3OO913J0XZ/IMG_5907+copy.jpg Costa Rica Assessment - HEART DISEASE IN COSTA RICA (Copy) HEART DISEASE IN COSTA RICA Heart to Heart has begun working with in-country cardiac specialists to increase access to life-saving surgery for the nearly 700 babies born with congenital heart disease in Costa Rica every year. The Dr. Carlos Saenz Herrera National Children’s Hospital (shown here) is the only hospital in the country where children can undergo open heart surgery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622059293812-IEQB2PTB2FSA4JSB44SG/IMG_5837.jpg Costa Rica Assessment - COLLABORATING IN THE OPERATING ROOM (Copy) COLLABORATING IN THE OPERATING ROOM Dr. Kirk Kanter, Heart to Heart medical volunteer and pediatric cardiac surgeon at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta/Emory University, reviews a patient’s most recent echocardiogram, as Dr. Karla Castro (right) interprets the ongoing discussion for all involved. Dr. Kanter will lead Heart to Heart’s first pediatric surgical training mission in Costa Rica this November. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622059312159-IR9FMGLM3GA8KL4C97IU/IMG_5869.jpg Costa Rica Assessment - DYNAMIC DUO (Copy) DYNAMIC DUO Dr. Kanter (center) observes an open heart case being performed by Costa Rican heart surgeons Dr. Margarita Camacho (left) and Dr. Carlos Chacon (right). Drs. Camacho and Chacon have studied pediatric cardiac medicine and have worked together at the National Children’s Hospital for many years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1622059339922-4VA2TVCL0TDD2O7R50R7/IMG_5887.jpg Costa Rica Assessment - SAN JOSE FROM ABOVE (Copy) SAN JOSE FROM ABOVE We are pleased to announce that our March 2020 mission, postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has been rescheduled for November 2021. Heart to Heart is looking forward to returning to beautiful Costa Rica with a full surgical training team! Stay tuned for more updates! https://www.heart-2-heart.org/paraguay-2019 daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1569446574784-MNLOPBHTPOZ1B5NO84S3/IMG_0716.JPG Paraguay 2019 - National Hospital in Asuncion, Paraguay (Copy) National Hospital in Asuncion, Paraguay The nation’s capital, Asuncion, is home to half a million people and the nation’s only medical school. It serves as the hub of healthcare for this country of nearly 7 million. Heart to Heart first visited National Hospital in April 2018, when founder & medical director Nilas Young and executive director Josie Everett met with Paraguayan cardiac specialists, hospital administrators, and ministry of health officials to learn about the hospital and discuss A potential collaboration to expand and advance heart care nationwide. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1569446743297-5Q47SOUV888G5FOZSMSA/IMG_0646.JPG Paraguay 2019 - Exploring collaborative opportunities (Copy) Exploring collaborative opportunities Members of our joint Heart to Heart-Paraguayan team, left to right, back row to front row Gustavo Escalada, MD; Stuart Grant-Coons; perfusionist, Susana Noel, RN, ICU nurse; Debbie Lewis, surgical technician; Aubrey Yao, MD, anesthesiologist, Dali Fan, MD, cardiologist; Andrew Studin, OR/circulating nurse; Josie Everett, Heart to Heart executive director; Brigid Culey, echosonographer; Lucia Nuñez, Yolanda González, MD; Estela Torres, MD; Nilas Young, MD, Heart to Heart founder & medical director; Sergio Cabral, MD, cardiac surgeon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1569446790470-PDUH1P6FVTGQZMKBFDOD/IMG_0787.JPG Paraguay 2019 - Family area at National Hospital (Copy) Family area at National Hospital Undergoing heart surgery can require a lengthy hospital stay. National Hospital provides families with small patios where they can wash and hang their clothes while their children are receiving treatment. Patients travel from all over the country to obtain medical help here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1558031063391-OYIW0A2NRJCEKJRBBZ8U/photo+1.JPG Paraguay 2019 - Working together to determine best course of treatment (Copy) Working together to determine best course of treatment Heart to Heart medical volunteer Dali Fan, MD performs a transesophageal echocardiogram on a post-operative heart patient with the assistance of echosonographer Brigid Culey. An echocardiogram provides the team with pictures of the heart’s valves and chambers, helping to serve as part of a blueprint that helps us determine the best course of treatment. On this trip 46 echocardiograms were performed on patients ranging in age from 17 to 94 years old. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1558032789485-S8OYR2RH9IV3374YRHOF/photo+3.JPG Paraguay 2019 - Sharing more than just knowledge (Copy) Sharing more than just knowledge Head operating room nurse Maria Dure receives surgical hats for the nursing staff as a gift from Heart to Heart volunteer Debbie Lewis. The two worked closely together for more than 30 hours in the operating room. Five open heart surgeries were conducted by the joint Heart to Heart-Paraguayan team. Hands-on teaching and training between Heart to Heart medical volunteers and the site’s cardiac team provides the transfer of foundational knowledge to help advance their cardiac program. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1558032800807-T6O71MQR5JTNYQLCATCP/photo+5.jpg Paraguay 2019 - Saving lives in real time (Copy) Saving lives in real time Sergio Cabral, MD assists Heart to Heart’s Nilas Young, MD during open heart surgery to replace a patient's native heart valve with a bioprosthetic Edwards Lifesciences valve during a surgical-educational mission dedicated to the treatment of valvular disease. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1558032797048-TE24E8A62Z39RBF63TX0/photo+4.jpg Paraguay 2019 - The intricacies of the heart (Copy) The intricacies of the heart Intraoperative view of a valve and root replacement graft procedure, which took over 10 hours to complete. The operation was led by Nilas Young, MD working side-by-side with the host Paraguayan team, four Heart to Heart team members, and three interpreters. The photo represents a final view before closing the patient’s chest. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1569448069535-RW77VRLKO4CPWCWHGXWJ/IMG_5617.JPG Paraguay 2019 - Placement of a state-of-the-art bioprosthetic heart valve (Copy) Placement of a state-of-the-art bioprosthetic heart valve Heart to Heart’s exploratory surgical-educational mission in Paraguay began with a double valve replacement operation. Shown here: an Edwards Lifesciences bioprosthetic aortic heart valve is about to be lowered into position (from upper left), replacing the patient’s dysfunctional native valve. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1569448233703-UVDLKQAXTKPAA0FS3IJY/photo+2.JPG Paraguay 2019 - Patients of all ages suffer from valve disease (Copy) Patients of all ages suffer from valve disease (Left to right) Paraguayan cardiology resident Nancy Caceres, MD; Heart to Heart cardiac surgeon Nilas Young, MD with young valve patient Mabel (center); and Paraguayan cardiac surgeon, Sergio Cabral, MD one day before Mabel’s valve replacement operation. At 23 years old, Mabel, our youngest patient on this trip, was suffering from severe mitral valve regurgitation due to rheumatic heart disease. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1558032805262-8DJSDVUEM664II88YZTT/photo+6.jpg Paraguay 2019 - The opportunity for expanding heart surgery to children in Paraguay (Copy) The opportunity for expanding heart surgery to children in Paraguay Heart to Heart was encouraged to develop a long term educational collaboration to establish a pediatric cardiac surgery program at the National Hospital. The hospital has adequate pediatric and neonatal departments to support a heart program. Local physicians expressed great enthusiasm at the prospect of being able to save children born with heart defects. We are excited at the prospect of a Heart to Heart collaboration with National Hospital and its dedicated cardiac specialists! https://www.heart-2-heart.org/kaliningrad-april-2017 daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553203950648-YP2X39SKG3CDGHSWKADD/21994447_10155505810868382_2098786860462124627_o.jpg Kaliningrad April 2017 Children love to play – even while at the hospital. We all love the colorful children’s playroom right near the ICU! As cardiac professionals we are focused on training new cardiac specialists in order to increase access to heart care for patients in underserved areas of the world. As humanitarians, we never forget that each surgical case is a person – a child or an adult loved by his or her family and friends. At Heart to Heart, we are honored to be part of a community that is a force for positive global change. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553204327629-D6WXTXUXRLBIYEMK1RJC/21994403_10155505810343382_6233225561507129203_o.jpg Kaliningrad April 2017 Assessing irregular heart beats: Heart to Heart volunteer, Dr. Bryan Cannon, an electrophysiologist from the Mayo Clinic, and Dr. Dina Vozdvizhenskaya, a cardiologist from Heart to Heart’s partner site in Samara, Russia, review the EKG readings of a child born with Ebstein anomaly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553203988989-MIZSV2YDIODXBD8WZ0OV/22048067_10155505812038382_4802706871815331907_o.jpg Kaliningrad April 2017 World renowned expert and surgeon, Joseph Dearani, generously shares his extensive expertise through a lecture entitled, “The Pearls and Pitfalls of Ebstein Anomaly.” to an audience of more than 40 visiting medical colleagues from throughout Russia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553204005236-VXHH50FGYORV5W9RJN6Y/22048078_10155505810713382_5559602955841308081_o.jpg Kaliningrad April 2017 Kaliningrad is the site of Heart to Heart’s sixth pediatric cardiac partner site in the Russian Federation. Prior to our collaboration, children in this region of the country did not have access to open heart surgery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553204061120-HQ6U6NDRQQ3BOCKR6LES/22051181_10155505810708382_8600634946459092015_o.jpg Kaliningrad April 2017 As others look on, surgeons Joseph Dearani and Vyacheslav Belov (center background holding instruments) repair the valve of a young child with the help of surgical technician Olesya Dushkova (front left) and surgical assistant Joan Wobig (front right). The eight open heart operations we performed were streamed live to an audience of physicians from throughout the country. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553204078788-M2FHN2EUSMP1JEXK636I/22095804_10155505810723382_519287086340937523_o.jpg Kaliningrad April 2017 In the operating room Caitlin Blau, perfusionist from the Mayo Clinic, runs the cardiopulmonary bypass machine during open heart surgery. Once the surgical team has stopped the heart from beating, Caitlin’s job is to ensure that the patient’s body is adequately perfused and oxygenated – in other words, she temporarily manages the circulatory and respiratory functions of the heart and lungs while surgeons make direct repairs to the heart. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553204090846-DI2NNW5RARXD8E2QEDNN/22096293_10155505810323382_7826730286245863988_o.jpg Kaliningrad April 2017 Veteran Heart to Heartniks unite in Kaliningrad (From left) Brenda Jarvis, RN; Evgeny Krivoshchekov, MD; Josie Everett; Frank Cetta, MD; and Irma Ozashvili at the beginning of a busy day of bilingual education, training, and heart surgery. Collectively the five of them have filled more than 70 volunteer positions on dozens of Heart to Heart surgical-educational missions! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1553204116232-7CT6S2DM6EB44ZD1J1ZJ/22135366_10155505810353382_7738604656784906367_o.jpg Kaliningrad April 2017 Heart to Heart volunteers Frank Cetta (center) and Joseph Dearani (right) observe as cardiologist Olga Laryutina (lower left) performs an echocardiogram on a child to determine the viability of valve repair through open heart surgery. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/lima-december-2016 daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1561070059507-ZW7SZ9I2404RXU35VUZK/IMG_4641.jpg Lima December 2016 - Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement - TAVR (Copy) Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement - TAVR INCOR and Heart to Heart specialists collaborate in the catheterization lab during one of the eight TAVR procedures performed jointly on this mission. TAVR technology enables a patient’s aortic valve to be replaced through the blood vessels - via a catheter threaded through the femoral up to the heart. This relatively new procedure replaces a heart valve without open heart surgery, which some patients are unable to safely withstand. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1561070449118-5K8EAYMJELU4L0WBELIU/IMG_4460.jpg Lima December 2016 - At the Instituto Nacional Cardiovascular (INCOR) (Copy) At the Instituto Nacional Cardiovascular (INCOR) Pediatric cardiac intensive care nurse, Linda Steinhauer (center, in cap) observes INCOR staff’s “transport” - the transfer of a patient from the operating table to the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1561070489322-6SKUDA2M8A9886IN5S0Z/IMG_4488.jpg Lima December 2016 - Clinical Training in the Intensive Care Unit (Copy) Clinical Training in the Intensive Care Unit Nurse Steinhauer (far right), demonstrates bedside patient care at the INCOR pediatric cardiac intensive care unit, Peru’s largest and most advanced PCICU, which treats more than 500 children each year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1561070569450-N06C55BNDI9MF7BHWGC3/IMG_4508.jpg Lima December 2016 - Important Role of Medical Interpreters (Copy) Important Role of Medical Interpreters Pediatric cardiologist, Dr. David Teitel (far left), and his INCOR colleagues, Dr. Antonio Skrabonja and Dr. Gabriela Morales, discuss a range of topics with the help of interpreter Dr. Liliam Aquino (far right). Drs. Morales and Aquino attended the latest Mayo Clinic Echo Conference in November 2016 as part of Heart to Heart’s Scholar Exchange Program. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1561070906455-YNF4Z1PILWN1849A7UFP/IMG_4679.jpg Lima December 2016 - Meet Carlos: a grateful patient and his wife (Copy) Meet Carlos: a grateful patient and his wife TAVR patient Carlos, age 71, pictured here with his wife, is in good spirits and almost ready to leave the ICU - just three days post-surgery! Carlos says he has no words to fully express his gratitude to the donors of his new heart valve, the Edwards Lifesciences Foundation, or to the highly-trained medical team of people who worked together to implant it into his heart. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1561070742994-3H1QFPJGH19L6UOCZ4HW/IMG_4518.jpg Lima December 2016 - Preparing a child for open heart surgery (Copy) Preparing a child for open heart surgery Specialists prepare a fourteen-year-old girl with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - an abnormal thickening of the heart muscle - for open heart surgery. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is very common and can affect people of any age. It is a common cause of sudden cardiac arrest in young people, including young athletes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1561071070666-GCXQKA8SP76QV29RGRNE/IMG_4590.jpg Lima December 2016 - Heart disease affects people of every age (Copy) Heart disease affects people of every age Heart to Heart Founder and Medical Director Dr. Nilas Young performs open heart surgery on a teenage patient while Hernan Carcamo, MD provides interpreting. The patient did well through surgery and throughout her post-operative stay in the ICU, and has an excellent prognosis. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1561071630057-DIODBBAGFBY1ODQLQHR4/IMG_4671.jpg Lima December 2016 - Juanita feels "like a queen" (Copy) Juanita feels "like a queen" Juanita (left), an 84-year-old TAVR patient, enjoys a visit from one of her sons two days post-surgery. Juanita had been experiencing trouble breathing and had heart palpitations before she sought care. When we had a chance to check on her post-operatively she thanked us and added, “I feel like a queen.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1561071426324-WRIY58IIXY23Z5WGT5H3/IMG_4643.jpg Lima December 2016 - Providing patient family education (Copy) Providing patient family education Through the help of an interpreter, Heart to Heart nurse Linda Steinhauer (far left), INCOR head nurse Liliana Alvarado (in colorful cap), and the mother of an ICU patient instruct family members on proper handwashing technique before they visit their children in the intensive care unit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1561071239584-OVD2UGT12GA9R8WKHV1I/IMG_4595.jpg Lima December 2016 - Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiograms (Copy) Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiograms Dr. David Teitel (far left) observes a Peruvian colleague perform a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) on a nine-year-old patient. TEEs allow doctors to view heart function intraoperatively; they are performed after completing a surgical procedure, but before releasing a patient to the ICU, to confirm the adequacy of the repair of the heart. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/tomsk-2011 daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917201942-W7TSJ7JQIYO4AY12FN0U/T2011+02.JPG Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - The Tomsk Cardiology Institute, Siberian Federal District (Copy) The Tomsk Cardiology Institute, Siberian Federal District The City of Tomsk, founded in 1604, is a major metropolitan center and the site of Heart to Heart’s third children’s heart program. The Siberian Federal District comprises almost 2 million square miles, about half the size of the entire U.S. It is home to 20 million people, roughly three times the population of New York City. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1557442895249-QU1D1HVC9ECBE0YVGFAD/018+Tomsk+11-04-20.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Saving Children in the Vast Siberian District (Copy) Saving Children in the Vast Siberian District In 2010, the fifth year of our seven-year collaboration, specialists in Tomsk saved the lives of 374 children through the miracle of open heart surgery and modern interventional procedures. This is our Tomsk colleague's’ highest annual patient volume to date, surpassing Heart to Heart’s initial program targets. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917299414-0OEU4WC9KEW9LNYM7Y5J/T2011+04.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Improving access to modern heart care in Russia today (Copy) Improving access to modern heart care in Russia today Tens of thousands of parents still wait and hope for the open heart surgery procedure that will save the life of their child. Once a Heart to Heart sponsored site “graduates” to self-sustainability, the local team will continue to save more than 300 children each year with no further investment on our part. Our Tomsk site will achieve self-sustainability in 2012! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917337675-E8LEMJ0NBJNA69P0PLOZ/T2011+05.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Teamwork: A hallmark of Heart to Heart’s teaching (Copy) Teamwork: A hallmark of Heart to Heart’s teaching Dr. Viktor Varvarenko (shown at left above), pediatric interventional cardiologist, has worked closely with Heart to Heart since the collaboration began in 2006. This year he commented, “Sometimes when people come here, they are amazed at how cooperatively we work. They’ve never even dreamed such teamwork could be possible.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917367092-M8GT0MUU4EF8FQ4A3VO7/T2011+06.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Patient exams and surgical schedule (Copy) Patient exams and surgical schedule After months of preparation in the U.S. and long days of on-the-ground patient exams and case conferences, the joint Heart to Heart-Tomsk team finalizes our list of surgical candidates. All aspects of patient care – from diagnosing, to conducting open heart surgery, to managing patient care post-operatively – are discussed and performed jointly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917420648-LMM4DPZH8ZOI8TB9ECIJ/T2011+07.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Heart to Heart-Tomsk team leader Dr. Frank Cetta (Copy) Heart to Heart-Tomsk team leader Dr. Frank Cetta Dr. Frank Cetta has been instrumental in guiding the Tomsk team toward self-sustainability. He has led all six annual Heart to Heart surgical-educational missions to Tomsk and hosted several colleagues from Tomsk at his home institution, the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Cetta has followed and advised on the case of Matvey K. (shown here) since Matvey was just a few weeks old. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917437055-SX1WCF5LGKUJVBERQ0J5/T2011+08.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Communicating in English and Russian (Copy) Communicating in English and Russian Administrative leaders and chief medical interpreters Irma Ozashvili (left) and Josie Everett work together to ensure that all subspecialists – echosonographers, interventionalists, surgeons, anesthesiologists, perfusionists, intensivists, and nurses – have interpreters with them at all times. Trained interpreters are vital to accurately communicate complex and nuanced concepts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917507828-08JMIRU5P8PPVOQEYTL0/T2011+09.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - The “network effect” in action in Russia (Copy) The “network effect” in action in Russia This year, 35 visiting pediatric cardiac specialists from five of Russia’s eight Federal Districts joined their Tomsk colleagues to participate in daily conferences and lectures. Many of them travelled great distances (up to 2,000 miles!) to observe the Heart to Heart-Tomsk team’s advanced collaboration. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917539974-P0W0IMSCK7NJOBGN7TCC/T2011+10.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Perfusion expert and educator Mindy Blackwell (Copy) Perfusion expert and educator Mindy Blackwell Mindy Blackwell, the only newcomer on this year’s team, gave a well-received lecture on Extracorporeal Membranous Oxygenation (ECMO). She has taught pediatric cardiac perfusion for more than ten years and frequently travels throughout the U.S. as a clinical specialist, training physicians to implant the Berlin Heart device for children in heart failure. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917606863-8QXL728WRA5XKOW5SBRQ/T2011+11.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Dr. Bert Litwin: Sharing years of experience (Copy) Dr. Bert Litwin: Sharing years of experience Pediatric cardiac surgeon Dr. Bert Litwin established and then directed for many years the renowned Herma Heart Center at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. He has led surgical teams in saving the lives of close to 8,000 children though the miracle of open heart surgery. What an extraordinary opportunity for young Russian surgeons to benefit from Dr. Litwin’s expertise! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917623837-3SPPGTCHXGMGLBQ9GEKP/T2011+12.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Chief pediatric cardiac surgeon Dr. Evgeniy Krivoschekov (Copy) Chief pediatric cardiac surgeon Dr. Evgeniy Krivoschekov Since 2004, Dr. Evgeniy Krivoschekov has experienced seven of our teams in action in Samara and Tomsk. He has also observed U.S. best practices at the home institutions of several of his Heart to Heart colleagues. Dr. K has cultivated strong leaders on the Tomsk team, and he actively promotes education and training for specialists across Russia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917622308-EICR8PS6ALL8I33I0LL2/T2011+13.JPG Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - From the pediatric cardiac operating theater in Tomsk (Copy) From the pediatric cardiac operating theater in Tomsk Open heart surgeries were streamed live into a nearby conference room so all specialists could see and hear each advanced procedure in real time. Eleven pediatric cardiac surgeons from across Russia had the invaluable opportunity of watching Dr. Bert Litwin perform open heart surgery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917717741-89JD8L5W7T9PWIEZSLLF/T2011+14.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Beginning stages of a pediatric open heart surgery (Copy) Beginning stages of a pediatric open heart surgery Open heart surgery requires at least 7 pediatric cardiac specialists: a cardiologist, a lead surgeon with 1 or 2 surgeons assisting, an anesthesiologist, a perfusionist, an OR technician, and a circulating nurse. On a Heart to Heart mission, the number of specialists in the OR increases to 11 or 12 – as each key position is co-managed by a Heart to Heart specialist and his Russian counterpart. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917689958-Y8TFPFXMJLVVYVIX0MGQ/T2011+15.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Teamwork in the operating room (Copy) Teamwork in the operating room Cardiologist Dr. Frank Cetta (left) performs a transesophageal echocardiogram to confirm the adequacy of the surgical repair before the team proceeds to close the patient’s chest. Each specialist’s expertise adds to the team’s ability to assess any situation and determine the best course of action at any given moment – often in circumstances requiring split-second decision-making. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917763846-NHZ783C54QG08G7ECFAB/T2011+16.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - In the PCICU (Copy) In the PCICU To care for patients as complex and fragile as our “heart babies,” expertise in post-operative management is critically important. Here, Dr. Janet Simsic (second from left), Heart to Heart’s lead pediatric cardiac intensivist, updates cardiologist Dr. Frank Cetta on a post-op patient. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917803215-ZHGXLYPIQU6NDTPLX6V7/T2011+17.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Lynn Graham RN leads clinical nursing (Copy) Lynn Graham RN leads clinical nursing Lynn Graham RN has focused on teaching best practices in pediatric cardiac nursing to the Tomsk nurses in the pediatric ward. Working in concert with Heart to Heart’s PCICU team, she has provided advanced education that has significantly elevated the knowledge base of the Tomsk clinical nursing team. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917838208-UCMB4H02Y3UID7P3ZCUA/T2011+18.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Lisa Poppell RN: Night shift in a Siberian PCICU (Copy) Lisa Poppell RN: Night shift in a Siberian PCICU Lisa Poppell RN is an intrepid veteran of seven Heart to Heart surgical-educational missions. Every evening, Lisa arrives at the hospital at 7 pm, to be fully debriefed on each child in the PCICU. The rest of the Heart to Heart team then leaves the hospital, and Lisa assumes responsibility for providing intensive care nursing for the next 12 hours. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917824104-TSVKUCR2QRDMIRJR61H3/T2011+19.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Brenda Jarvis RN: Advancing nursing in Tomsk (Copy) Brenda Jarvis RN: Advancing nursing in Tomsk For the last six years, senior PCICU nurse Brenda Jarvis (with stethoscope) has helped provide education for the Russian nursing staff on the anatomy and physiology of congenital heart defects and on post-operative management. At the end of 2011, Heart to Heart will honor Brenda for her dedicated participation on 10 surgical-educational missions across Russia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917936569-PX43XHK9ONCDHCFPWSTY/T2011+20.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Meeting the children (Copy) Meeting the children Rose Glickman PhD is an integral part of Heart to Heart. Her live interviews with patients and their parents – conducted in Russian – give voice to the plight of children born with treatable heart disease in a country with extremely limited access to the miracle of modern heart care. At the end of 2011, we will honor Rose for her bilingual reporting of 10 surgical-educational missions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917913299-OF959SNQ3J7R0QVHCJG5/T2011+21.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - We love our leaders! (Copy) We love our leaders! Cardiac surgeons Drs. Vladimir Shipulin and Bert Litwin have earned the respect and affection of every member of the joint Heart to Heart-Tomsk pediatric cardiac team. These inspiring mentors have demonstrated strong leadership while providing brilliant education to dozens of tomorrow’s leaders in this demanding, complex vocation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917961807-EPYONT6U2LSYTI0LK473/T2011+22.JPG Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Pediatric intensive care leaders (Copy) Pediatric intensive care leaders Working side-by-side to provide 24/7 care for very sick children has led to many collegial friendships among Heart to Heartniks. Here, Dr. Janet Simsic and PCICU chief Dr. Alexander Nikolishin celebrate the success of this year’s mission. At the end of 2011, we will honor Janet for her leadership in the PCICU on 10 Heart to Heart missions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568917978651-XXJ7U9UIM3W7WY294O6K/T2011+23.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Heart to Heart’s 2011 Tomsk team (Copy) Heart to Heart’s 2011 Tomsk team (Rear, from left) Bert Litwin MD; Brenda Jarvis RN; Mindy Blackwell; Kim Crews; Lynn Graham RN; Frank Cetta MD. (Front, from left) Lisa Poppell RN; Lena Traer; Rose Glickman PhD; Janet Simsic MD; Josie Everett. Not shown: Photographer Joye Leventhal, who took the photo! Collectively, these Heart to Heartniks have been on 88 surgical-educational missions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1568918027711-L4OCEKEN8EOWYUBFWU17/T2011+24.jpg Tomsk Surgical-Educational Mission 6 - Why we exist (Copy) Why we exist These four precious children were born with life-threatening but treatable heart defects. Heart to Heart’s mission is to develop self-sustaining children’s heart centers that give millions of families access – for the first time – to the miracle of modern heart care. As we carry out our mission, more than 12,000 babies and children have already been saved by Russian doctors we have trained. https://www.heart-2-heart.org/rostovondon-2011 daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594946621843-QVY5NFQNU10E6G2Q8N3T/Photo+01.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - At the Rostov-on-Don Regional Cardiac Center (Copy) At the Rostov-on-Don Regional Cardiac Center Heart to Heart’s 15-person team was made up of cardiac specialists from pediatric cardiac programs in the U.S. and Russia. The four Russian specialists on our team in Rostov-on-Don came from Heart to Heart’s self-sustaining programs in Samara and Tomsk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594946238683-HN8RZYYCPXKDVY4VTJEO/Photo+02.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - Dr. Krivoshchekov leads his first Heart to Heart team (Copy) Dr. Krivoshchekov leads his first Heart to Heart team This year marked the first time in our history that a Russian pediatric cardiac surgeon led a Heart to Heart surgical-educational mission. Above, Dr. Evgeny Krivoshchekov (center) performs the first surgery of the mission with Rostov’s Dr. Anatoly Filonenko assisting (left). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594946666284-607M47IC1TD7J7VPSOKT/Photo+03.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - Dr. K: A perfect fit for the Heart to Heart team (Copy) Dr. K: A perfect fit for the Heart to Heart team Dr. Evgeny Krivoshchekov is the lead pediatric cardiac surgeon at his home institution, the Tomsk Cardiology Institute in Siberia. Dr. K. is both an accomplished surgeon and an inspiring teacher – a perfect fit for Heart to Heart. His close association with us dates back to 2005, the year before our Tomsk collaboration began. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594946705061-RHUH7UPSVY4DGELJS9LZ/Photo+04.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - Dr. Nikolishin: Heart to Heart pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist (Copy) Dr. Nikolishin: Heart to Heart pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist Dr. Alexander Nikolishin is the PCICU chief and anesthesiologist at our collaborative site in Tomsk, Siberia. As part of our team this year in Rostov-on-Don, Dr. Nikolishin worked both in the OR and in the PCICU. He provided training in intraoperative anesthesia and immediate post-operative patient management. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594946745635-YH4G4KJAY9K9RLKNTHLK/Photo+05.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - Dr. Ginko’s second mission with Heart to Heart (Copy) Dr. Ginko’s second mission with Heart to Heart Dr. Vladimir Ginko, also from our collaborative site in Tomsk, first shared his talent as a perfusionist on Heart to Heart’s 2009 surgical-educational mission to Rostov-on-Don. His poise and calm demeanor continue to make him an excellent addition to our team. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594946274315-31PR3ZIX1ET1DUXWH1M7/Photo+06.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - Old friends, new challenges (Copy) Old friends, new challenges Many of Heart to Heart’s longtime U.S. medical volunteers are well-acquainted with our Tomsk colleagues. Our lead intensivist, Dr. Janet Simsic (center) from Nationwide Children’s Hospital worked with Drs. Nikolishin and Krivoshchekov at their home institution in Tomsk from 2006 to 2011. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594946796121-61B9HS3E6UH2QEHBWHPO/Photo+07.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - Pediatric advanced life support (PALS) training (Copy) Pediatric advanced life support (PALS) training Nurses Lisa Poppell (left) and Brenda Jarvis (right) conducted a two-day PALS seminar to an audience of local nurses and ICU doctors. PALS training is taught regularly at U.S. pediatric cardiac centers to train nurses in advanced techniques in patient care. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594946289608-1N0FHOSEUL11TIT7Q38O/Photo+08.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - Nurse Poppell’s 10th trip to Russia (Copy) Nurse Poppell’s 10th trip to Russia This mission marked Lisa Poppell’s tenth trip to Russia with Heart to Heart over the last 7 years. Lisa works as a pediatric cardiac ICU nurse at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Prior to joining the PCICU team there, she worked in the operating room. Lisa’s expertise and compassion are invaluable to Heart to Heart. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594946305316-XYU93EYTJP0FDKZEASLU/Photo+09.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - Providing supplies in addition to education (Copy) Providing supplies in addition to education Heart to Heart often contributes equipment and medical supplies that align with our teaching and hands-on training. Olesya Dushkova (left) collected surplus surgical instruments from her hospital in the U.S. Above, Dr. Anton Avramenko (right) from the Samara Regional Cardiac Center works with her to determine where to distribute them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594946304584-RSDQE19HG1ZIKB913CHB/Photo+10.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - Program mid-point evaluation at Rostov-on-Don (Copy) Program mid-point evaluation at Rostov-on-Don This year, Dr. Nilas Young, Heart to Heart’s Founder & Medical Director, joined our team on the ground to evaluate surgical progress. Since Heart to Heart’s inception in 1989, Dr. Young, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at UC Davis Medical Center, has guided program development at all of our Russian sites, leading three pediatric centers to self-sustainability thus far. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594946841872-GQWXS5LOKZQVSBG1OK25/Photo+18.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - Sharing program development expertise (Copy) Sharing program development expertise Dr. David Teitel, Chief of Pediatric Cardiology and Medical Director of the Pediatric Heart Center at UCSF, joined Heart to Heart for his third trip to Russia. Dr. Teitel shared his expertise in advanced interventional cardiology, and the Rostov team also benefitted from his extensive experience in developing advanced pediatric cardiac teams. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594947033237-6K2R6CZ6ZHJ9VM3URKLW/Photo+11.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - Maxim: 10-month-old Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) patient (Copy) Maxim: 10-month-old Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) patient Our first surgical case on this mission was the complete repair of 10-month-old Maxim’s heart. This timely surgery will enable Maxim to have a normal childhood, avoiding the suffering associated with advanced TOF. There are still many TOF patients in Russia who did not have the opportunity to receive open heart surgery when they were young. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594946319166-0BAW0GOFRYENTWF1J9PF/Photo+12.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - Natalia: an adult congenital TOF patient (Copy) Natalia: an adult congenital TOF patient Natalia (right) is 29 years old. She has been seeking surgical treatment for her TOF defect her entire life, and three years ago, she suffered a mild stroke due to her untreated congenital heart defect. The Heart to Heart team successfully operated on Natalia during this mission. Both the surgery and her recovery went well. For the first time, Natalia can look forward to a normal life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594946338113-ATW3X3YLH12NR7WQS9G6/Photo+13.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - Importance of timely and accurate diagnosis (Copy) Importance of timely and accurate diagnosis While not all babies born with a congenital heart defect need open heart surgery immediately, most will require surgery before the age of 3. Diagnosing these children as early as possible is the essential first step in developing a treatment plan that anticipates life-saving cardiac interventions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594946893375-1SG6S4V13MTD4PYXRJUS/Photo+14.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - Three-year-old Viktor and his mom (Copy) Three-year-old Viktor and his mom Heart to Heart takes pride in the accomplishments of the Russian teams we train. During a case conference in Rostov-on-Don on this mission, the surgical approach to repairing Viktor’s heart was thoroughly discussed with the local team. Our colleagues in Rostov successfully repaired Viktor’s TOF immediately after our team’s departure. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594946345584-PG4FMJ6IF8S89U3A13EH/Photo+15.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - Developing centers to save more babies (Copy) Developing centers to save more babies Heart to Heart is dedicated to saving babies and children with congenital heart disease. The most effective way to combat CHD is to develop additional advanced regional heart centers where babies like Andrey can receive life-saving treatment in a timely fashion – allowing them to enjoy a normal childhood and grow up to be healthy, productive adults. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594946360003-Q1JTO5S5QP1UOAXT2QHN/Photo+16.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - Roman: living with congenital heart disease (Copy) Roman: living with congenital heart disease Congenital heart disease affects children equally all over the world – regardless of race, religion, or socio-economic background. Roman was treated as a child, but his defect (TOF) was never completely corrected. Fortunately, it was not too late for him to receive a complete surgical repair during our mission. Roman will return to medical school next semester. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af38184620b8530a5c705c1/1594946925718-NYRMTRSE9AXM4XJSXDZH/Photo+17.jpg Rostov-on-Don 2011 - Roman: a happy ending to a mother’s long quest (Copy) Roman: a happy ending to a mother’s long quest Maria, Roman’s mother, had sought surgical treatment for her son all over Russia for more than two decades. As the Russian pediatric cardiac community grows and more centers are established, parents are learning to access life-saving treatment for children of any age. 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