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Children with Sick Hearts Abroad, Resources They Need in Israel
Right this moment, thousands of infants and children across the world are suffering from heart disease. Some of these children have access to the treatment that can help them. Unfortunately, many children do not. Many of these children suffer from congenital heart disease, which is responsible for more deaths in the first year of life than any other birth defects.
A Jewish Issue
Human life is of utmost value in the Jewish tradition. According to the Torah, human beings are made in the image of God. We are called to respect, value and support life as it says in Deuteronomy 30:19, U’vacharta b’chayim “and you shall choose life.”
Sanabel’s Story
Sanabel is a nine year old girl from Gaza. When she was about 1 year old she was diagnosed with Congenital heart disease, the most deadliest birth defect. She had surgery then but required surgery again this spring. She was admitted to Wolfson Medical Center on March 2, 2010 through the “Save a Child’s Heart” organization. She quickly recuperated and returned home on March 4, 2010. She will be followed up by her local pediatric cardiologist.
Save a Child’s Heart
Save a Child’s Heart (SACH) is an Israeli-based international humanitarian project whose mission is to improve the quality of pediatric cardiac care for children from developing countries. SACH is totally dedicated to the idea that every child deserves the best medical treatment available, regardless of the child’s nationality, religion, color, gender or financial situation.
Since its inception in 1996, the SACH medical team has examined and evaluated more than 6,000 children. The number of cardiac surgeries performed by SACH has grown dramatically from 48 cases in 1996 to 206 in 2009; and in total over 2,300 children have been treated. 40% of the children who underwent cardiac surgeries are from Africa; 49% from the Palestinian Authority, Jordan and Iraq; 4% from Moldova, Russia and former USSR and 7% from China, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
SACH’s Work
The SACH mission is achieved through:
- Providing life-saving cardiac surgery and other procedures via a team of 70 dedicated experts who donate their time at the Wolfson Medical Center
- Training medical personnel from those countries served by the organization
- Leading surgical and training missions to partner countries in the developing world
- Holding pre-operative and follow-up cardiology clinics both in Israel and abroad
How You Can Get Involved:
Young professionals and students around the world have created committees and “SACH Clubs” that raise awareness and funds for Save a Child’s Heart. To get involved with these efforts, visit the Young Leadership website http://sachleadership.ning.com/ In Israel, volunteers can work with children receiving treatment, help launch new SACH initiatives, or work as medical interns. Organizations and individuals can make tax deductible donations. For more information, visit the SACH website.
