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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.