• The Global Crisis.

    With approximately 1.3 million children born each year having a heart defect and knowing that 93% do not have access to cardiac care, our goal is to make this lifesaving care available to children everywhere.

    View a special message here

  • Our Legacy Programs.

    Uganda and El Salvador

    Legacy Programs are Core Programs which have succeeded and now have support from the local hospital and government, have a fully trained team and a dedicated facility with state-of-the-art equipment solely for program use.

    View our Legacy Program video here

  • Our Core Programs.

    Jamaica and Romania

    In 2009, the creation of Core Programs maximized our capacity to treat more children each year by developing sustainable pediatric cardiac programs and centers of excellence in select emerging countries.

    View our Core Program video here

  • Rotary and Our Global Impact.

    Gift of Life is a Rotarian-based non-profit organization whose initiatives are supported by 274 Rotary Clubs and 61 Rotary Districts around the world. Rotary Global Grants are a major funding source and help to maximize our impact in providing care to children with heart disease throughout the world.

    View our Rotary Partners and impact here

  • Our 33,000th Heart Healed.

    In October 2018, Daniela from Romania was the 33,000th child to have her heart healed through our global network of caring. Exactly 43 years earlier, the first-ever GOL recipient from Uganda had her heart healed.

    Learn about our 33,000th child here
45 Years Service
36,757 Children Treated
80 Countries Reached
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Our MissionHealing Little Hearts Around the World

Our mission is to provide lifesaving cardiac treatment to children in developing countries regardless of gender, creed, or national origin. Our goal is to develop sustainable pediatric cardiac programs by implementing screening, surgical and training missions which are supported by autonomous Gift of Life programs, Rotary Global Grants and generous donors from around the world.

 

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News. Updates on Hearts Being Healed Around the World

Read the latest news from Gift of Life Affiliated Programs around the world regarding their impact as they work to heal more little hearts in their region.

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Program of the Month

We wish to thank Gift of Life Florida for their commitment and dedication to healing little hearts around the world. With Maurice Price as Chair, Lou Auricchio as Founder, Don Thomas, Steve Agius and Tim Milligan as Past Presidents, Carol Auricchio as Secretary and Sonny Grech as Director, they are an unstoppable team. On behalf of Gift of Life International and the many children whose hearts you have helped to heal, we thank you for your partnership. Between 2016 and 2019, Gift of Life Florida and participating Rotary District 6960 Clubs have contributed $100,000 in cash and Rotary District 6960 has contributed $80,000 in DDF funds to support Rotary Global Grants which fund Gift of Life initiatives around the world. These contributions have saved the lives of children from 12 countries including the Dominican Republic, Mexico, The Philippines, El Salvador, Jordan, Pakistan, Romania, Haiti, Uganda, Egypt, Lebanon and India resulting in over 1,000 healed little hearts.                                                 

 

 

Story of the Month

During our September training mission to Grigore Alexandrescu Hospital in Bucharest, Romania, 2-year-old sweet Daniela had her heart healed. Daniela’s father has cared for her on his own since she was 5 months old. His love for his daughter is heart warming as she consumes his world. His tenacity in finding treatment for her heart aliment is inspiring. Daniela’s father has waited 2 years for the day his daughter’s heart could be healed and this week that day finally came. He was overwhelmed with joy, fear and hope as his prayers were answered thanks to the partnership of the Romanian healthcare professionals, the visiting surgical team from Italy and the visiting aftercare team from Albany, NY. 

Humanized Care for Medical Staff, Families and Children

Compassionate Patient and Family-Centered Care

Caring for children in a medical setting is best practiced with the collaboration of all members of the team, including families, doctors, nurses, occupational, respiratory and physical therapist, and other medical staff. For all, it is the provision of sensitive and empathic child and family services. These can create safety and comfort as children are separated from families, encounter medical procedures, and stay in strange environments.

In this collaborative style of treatment, it is equally important that staff are also helped to develop self-care methods. This training enables them to understand and relieve the emotional stresses that arise for them in their settings, and to more effectively identify and support some of the emotional and social needs of the families and children in their care. Mindfulness, Meditation, Guided Visualization for stress reduction, Coherent Breathing, and music are some of the strategies introduced and practiced.

For additional information, please watch this video.

Impact of Your Donation

$50

Could provide regular exams following surgery

$100

Could provide medicines needed to ensure a healthy recovery

$250

Could provide 6 months of nutritional assistance prior to surgery

$500

Could provide one year of nutritional assistance following surgery