• Our 40,000th Heart Healed.

    In September 2021, Rea from Kosovo was the 40,000th child to have her heart healed through our global network of caring. Rea is one of over 3,400 children to have their heart healed during the global pandemic.

    Learn about our 40,000th child here

  • 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 care, our goal is to ensure all cardiac children receive the care they need and deserve. 

     

    View a special message here

  • Our Legacy Programs.

    Uganda, El Salvador and Romania

    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.

    Click here for more info on our Legacy Programs

  • Our Core Programs.

    Jamaica and Bolivia

    In 2009, the creation of Core Programs maximized our capacity to treat more children through the strategic development of sustainable pediatric cardiac programs and centers of excellence in select emerging countries.

    Click here for more info on our Core Programs

  • Rotary and Our Global Impact.

    Gift of Life is a Rotarian-based non-profit organization whose initiatives are supported by 324 Rotary Clubs and 77 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 Rotary Global Grant Opportunities Here

  • Honoring our Healthcare Heroes.

    Thank you to our amazing healthcare volunteers for Lighting the World with Hope for children with heart disease around the world. 

    Click here to join a mission team
46 Years Service
40,040 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 need from 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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Order Your Gift of Life Book Today

The first-ever Gift of Life Book has been published and is now available for purchase. Don’t miss your chance to own a copy of this one-of-a-kind Limited Edition book – Read first hand, emotionally moving stories from the actual volunteers, patients and their family members, about how the Gift of Life has forever changed their lives. 

Click here to order your copy today. Each book is $30 ($25 plus $5 shipping) and 100% of proceeds will help us heal the heart of the next child in need. 

 

Story of the Month

During the September 2021 Mission Trip to Prishtina, Kosovo, we reached another amazing milestone in our journey to heal little hearts around the world. Three year old Rea from Kosovo was operated during this mission week and is the 40,000th child to have their heart healed through our global network of caring since 1975. This past June, Rea was diagnosed with a heart defect. Her family was devastated. Her father said he was not able to think about anything else other than the fact that his daughter was ill and needed help. Currently, there is no access to pediatric cardiac care in Kosovo. Rea and her family were over-joyed when her little heart was healed during the Gift of Life International mission trip to Prishtina in September 2021.

Rea was one of 16 children who had their hearts healed during this mission week. Additionally, 7 more children received diagnostic catheterizations to evaluate options for future treatment. We would like to recognize and thank the incredibly dedicated healthcare volunteers who share their expertise and their love to heal the hearts of children around the world. During the month of September, our healthcare heroes healed little hearts in Kosovo, The Dominican Republic and Jordan during scheduled missions.

Even throughout the global pandemic, we continue to Light the World with Hope for children with heart disease and for their families. In the short video below, Rea’s father expresses his gratitude for giving his daughter a second chance at life.  

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