Life changing experience shared by Erin Bursch after traveling with Children's HeartLink on a training trip to Coimbatore, India.
Traveling with a remarkable team of volunteers from the Mayo Clinic to G. Kuppuswamy Naidu Memorial (GKNM) Hospital in Coimbatore, I witnessed the tireless collaboration between two teams working to enhance care for children with heart disease.
One little boy, diagnosed with a heart defect, underwent a nearly insurmountable surgery. Watching the two teams work together in the operating room to save his life was like witnessing a well-choreographed ballet. After surgery, the baby’s fight for life continued in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
Evey 5 minutes there are 10 children around the world born with a congenital heart defect. Only 1 of those children will have access to high-quality heart care.
A few weeks later, we received a video of the baby boy’s first birthday celebration. I saw resilience and optimism in him and could feel the joy of his parents when they sang "Happy Birthday" to their precious baby boy in a hospital.
This is a testament to the impact of Children's HeartLink's work to save lives and transform pediatric heart care. Join me today in making a donation to support training and education, that brings hope to families in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Read more and see pictures from my first training trip with Children's HeartLink.