Haiti Cardiac Alliance brings teenager to Maine for surgery
Haiti Cardiac Alliance, with offices in Burlington VT and Haiti, is a little less than 2 years old. Owen Robinson, their Executive Director, was our guest for lunch on November 4 and shared a little about the work his organization has been doing. While this organization is separate from Gift of Life with which we are all familiar, Rotary and HCA work closely together in over 200 countries to arrange surgeries and provide support to patients.
In the less than 2 years they have been in operation, HCA has helped bring about 60 Haitian kids for surgery at facilities around the world. While Gift of Life accepts kids up to 18 with congenital cardiac defects, HCA provides help for both congenital (birth) and rheumatic (acquired) cases and accepts cases beyond age 18.
HCA recently brought a young man named Wesly to Maine for heart surgery and recovery. He is the second HCA-sponsored patient to come to Portland with the help of the Maine Medical Center Foundation. Wesly successfully came through the operation at Maine Medical center and is doing very well. He is recuperating with a local family. He will be in the area for at least a month, likely through the first week of December, but he will not go home until he is fit.
To learn more about Haiti Cardiac Alliance, visit their web page: http://www.haiticardiac.org/