 Each year thousands of children around the world are born with life threatening heart conditions. In the United States, the vast majority of children who are born with these conditions receive immediate care and go on to live long and healthy lives.
The sad truth, however, is that in many developing countries, treatment is often completely unavailable or critically inadequate. Most of these children, if left untreated, die by the age of twenty. In response to this overwhelming need, the physicians of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons, PA, created HeartGift, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, in July of 2000. The organization’s sole purpose is to provide funding, coordination of care, and medical services for children with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) living in developing countries where specialized medical intervention is scarce or nonexistent.
Through the generosity of the medical community, corporations, foundations, individuals, and community organizations, HeartGift has served children from Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Palestine, China, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, and the Dominican Republic, fulfilling the hopes and dreams of their families that they will grow and develop normally. With your help, HeartGift can make a difference. By combining our resources, skills, and compassion, we can save many more lives, one gift at a time. For more information on HeartGift, please contact the Executive Director at 512-637-5114 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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In This Section:
| About CTVS |
| Mission & Commitment |
| History of CTVS |
Families coming into this country for the first time can be overwhelmed with language barriers, cultural differences, and physical obstacles, but HeartGift offers a successful model to overcome the many logistical, financial, and emotional challenges. HeartGift assumes the financial responsibility for all hospital, medical, and physician expenses. In addition, HeartGift staff and volunteers coordinate travel and temporary housing arrangements as well as meals, translator services, entertainment, and other miscellaneous incidentals.
