Dominican Republic 2008

July 2008

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CEDIMAT / Open-Heart Surgery

 

Six children were operated on during the three days of surgery. We were thrilled to see the improvement in local skill, both in the operating room and the pediatric ICU.

 

Our surgeon, Mark Galantowicz, first assisted local surgeons Freddy Madera and Tony Almanza. Intensivist Arvind Chandrakantan and PICU nurses, Nancy Braunstein and Kristy Cook, worked with the local team in the Pediatric ICU. 

 

Thanks to wonderful teamwork, the children all did great and were discharged a few days after the Heart Trust team left. The new pediatric cardiac wing was heartwarming for the Heart Trust team to see! Several of us were part of the first team to travel to Santo Domingo in 2000 with Heart Care International, when there was no pediatric cardiac program to speak of.

 

We see the growth in the program thanks to the tireless energy of Nelva Pichardo and the passion of the medical team led by Dr. Pedro Ureña and Dr. Freddy Madera, is truly a gift to the many Dominican children born with heart defects.