Torreon University Hospital, Torreon, Mexico

The Republic of Mexico is bordered to the north by the U.S., and to the south, by Belize, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Prior to Spanish colonization in the early 16th century, it was home to a number of advanced civilizations, including the Olmec, Toltec, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Maya, and the famed Aztec. Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1810. The country is three times the size of Texas, spans four time zones, and is home to more than 123 million people. 

The city of Torreon is located in Coahuila, Mexico’s third-largest state. Coahuila accounts for a 318-mile stretch of the Mexico-U.S. border. Notably, Torreon is home to one of the world’s largest universities – the largest in Latin America – the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, which includes a medical school. Torreon serves as a medical hub for the approximately 10 million Mexicans living in the region.

Heart to Heart’s first exploratory surgical-educational mission in Mexico

In May 2018, Heart to Heart Founder & Medical Director, Nilas Young, MD; Executive Director, Josie Everett; and UC Davis cardiac surgeon, Victor Rodriguez, MD, traveled to Torreon to conduct preliminary site assessment work. Hosted by cardiac surgeon, Gerardo Serrano, MD, the Heart to Heart team visited the University Hospital, as well as two other medical institutions to discuss possibilities for a collaboration to expand and advance cardiac care in the region.

Torreon is located 620 miles north of the country’s capital Mexico City, which serves as the main healthcare access point for the country’s large population. In the state of Coahuila alone, more than 500 children are born with congenital heart disease each year. There is an urgent need to develop cardiac care in the region. Although there are some resources for adult patients, pediatric care is virtually nonexistent. 

In December 2018, Heart to Heart traveled to Torreon, Mexico on an exploratory surgical-educational mission. The Heart to Heart-Torreon team examined and diagnosed more than 20 children, ranging in age from two months to 12 years, and successfully performed life-saving surgery on five children. The highlight of this groundbreaking mission was the joint Heart to Heart-Torreon team performing the first ever open heart surgery on a child at the University Hospital.