Providing the gift of a future—one surgery at a time.
For many Vietnamese children, health care is a luxury their families cannot afford. Basic needs such as shelter and food simply take precedence. When medical needs are complex as in the case of heart complications, children face dire prospects. Surgery is truly a gift of life.
According to Vietnamese Health Ministry estimates, 20,000 children are waiting for life-changing cardiac surgeries. Without appropriate intervention, many of these children will die before adulthood.
In addition, the ratio of physicians and nurses to patients at Vietnamese medical facilities is very low. Families seeking treatment for their children are expected to provide all other care including purchasing, preparing and feeding meals, washing clothes, and maintaining their child's hygiene. Many families cannot afford these costs even if funds are identified to pay for the surgery.
The Children Served
At any given time, COV has a waiting list of children with life threatening heart conditions. COV believes that there are many more children in Danang and its eight surrounding provinces who have not been identified but are in need of help. Surgeries to correct heart complications will give these young patients a chance to reach adulthood.
Our Goal
The goal is to provide heart surgeries for children whose families may not otherwise be able to afford treatment. Each surgery provided is considered indicative of success.
What We Do
Working with the local People’s Committees, COV staff interviews each family to determine need, assists in arranging medical examinations and surgery, coordinates with medical personnel throughout the process, makes a follow-up visit to the home of each child after surgery, and assists in bringing the child to post-operation checkups.
The amount of assistance provided to each family is determined by:
- Economic status of the family
- Surgery and medicine costs
- Travel and lodging costs
Surgery costs are provided partially or in full. The surgeries take place at Danang General Hospital, Center Hospital of Hue, or the Heart Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, organizations with which COV has excellent relationships. Fees are paid directly to the health providers. Help us save a life! Donate to the Mending Heart Program today!
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