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Year of Successes Drive Future Growth for Children’s HeartLink

Published August 24, 2023

Children’s HeartLink partner hospitals reached 167,000 children in Fiscal Year 2023* (FY23). Supporting our partners in reaching this many children with congenital heart disease only scratches the surface of our FY23 successes.

Everything we have done and continue to do is aimed at transforming pediatric heart care to improve the lives of children born with congenital heart disease. Here is a closer look at our impact and advancements in FY23:

Success in Vietnam: Nhi Dong 1 Named Children’s HeartLink Center of Excellence

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A ceremony to celebrate Nhi Dong 1’s designation as a Children’s HeartLink Center of Excellence was held in Ho Chi Minh City on July 18, 2023

We are honored to announce our partner hospital Nhi Dong 1 in Vietnam as a Children’s HeartLink Center of Excellence. Over the past 15 years, Nhi Dong 1 has strived to improve their pediatric cardiac program to consistently deliver high-quality, complex care to children with congenital heart disease. They are the first Children’s HeartLink Center of Excellence in Vietnam and the seventh hospital in the world to earn this designation. Read more…

Reaching Children with Congenital Heart Disease in Bangladesh

First training visit at NHF
In December 2022, Children’s HeartLink held the first training visit between Leed’s Children’s Hospital medical volunteers and National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has become the sixth country where Children’s HeartLink is partnering with local hospitals to improve access to high quality heart care for children with congenital heart disease. Children’s HeartLink, a global nonprofit organization, is partnering with the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute to provide support furthering a high-quality, team-based approach to serving children with heart disease and their families.

Through Children’s HeartLink, the hospital will be partnered with a medical volunteer team from Leeds Children’s Hospital in the U.K.21 Pictures to Bring You Inside a Children’s Heart Care Training at National Heart Foundation in Bangladesh.

Children’s HeartLink Welcomes Fourth Partner Hospital in Brazil

medical-teams-collaborating-in-recifeThe RHP and Texas Children’s Hospital teams quickly became comfortable working together and learning from one another. One of the largest hospitals in the populous northeast region of Brazil, Real Hospital Português in Recife, joins Children’s HeartLink as our fourth partner in the country. The team will train with Children’s HeartLink new medical volunteers from Texas Children’s Hospital. 

With a waiting list for cardiac surgery, Real Hospital Português hopes that this long-term partnership will help them serve more children with heart disease. Read First Training Visit Showcases Why Children’s HeartLink is a Vital Partner for Hospitals Worldwide.

Texas Children’s Cardiac Team Becomes Children’s HeartLink Medical VolunteersChildren's HeartLink staff visiting medical volunteer team at Texas Children's Hospital

Children’s HeartLink’s Jackie Boucher and Andreas Tsakistos (in the center) are with Children’s HeartLink medical volunteers Dr. Patricia Bastero and Dr. Pablo Motta at Texas Children’s

The largest children’s hospital in the United States and a global leader in pediatric cardiology and heart surgery, Texas Children’s Hospital, joins our esteemed list of medical volunteer teams! Using its charity experience mentoring heart centers worldwide, Texas Children’s will work with Children’s HeartLink on improving cardiac care in Brazil.Children’s HeartLink’s Jackie Boucher and Andreas Tsakistos (in the center) are with Children’s HeartLink medical volunteers Dr. Patricia Bastero and Dr. Pablo Motta at Texas Children’s. Read more…

Innovation and excellence were at the forefront of our efforts in FY23

Sign the Call to Action

Join us by endorsing the Call to Action addressing the Global Burden of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Diseases. The signed Call to Action will be formally announced during the World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery and shared in advocacy meetings with key policymakers in Washington, D.C.

It calls upon all global health actors to protect and promote the health of all people with pediatric and congenital heart diseases with several key actions to improve recognition, access and investment in health services to address pediatric and congenital heart diseases:

  • Increase capacity to care for people with pediatric and congenital heart diseases

  • Build the pediatric and congenital cardiac workforce

  • Close the data gap

  • Finance pediatric and congenital cardiac care

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These are just some of our successes from FY23. These all align with the five imperatives we’ve outlined in our FY23-FY25 Strategic Plan. The five imperatives are growth, innovation, advocacy, excellence and sustainability. Children’s HeartLink would like to thank our many supporters for making our mission of saving lives by transforming pediatric heart care in undeserved parts of the world possible.

Children’s HeartLink is 100% funded by you, foundations and organizations. It takes a community of supporters to make our work at Children’s HeartLink’s possible. Consider making a donation here to fund more trips to help us serve even more children with CHD.

*The timeframe for Children’s HeartLink Fiscal Year 2023 was July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023.

About Children’s HeartLink
Children’s HeartLink saves children’s lives by transforming pediatric heart care in underserved parts of the world. The global nonprofit organization (NGO), partners medical volunteers from top teaching and research institutions with doctors, nurses and health care professionals in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Malaysia and Vietnam to develop or improve pediatric cardiac care programs. Since 1969, the organization has reached more than 1.5 million children.