“Give a Life” Social Program

What is the mission of the “Give a Life” social program?

The “Give a Life” social program was established by Dr. Reinaldo Cabrera P. (R.I.P.), to treat Colombian children with cardiovascular deseases. The program aims to provide unprivileged children with life-threatening heart defects access to high quality medical care and a chance to lead a healthy, normal life, free of charge.

Congenital heart diseases are the second cause of mortality in children under the age of one. Up to 13% of Latin American children are affected by some form of cardiovascular disease. Of these, 30% live in underserved areas with limited access to care. Consequently, 50%More than 50% do not survive beyond childhood.

To reach more children throughout Colombia, the Fundación Cardioinfantil works jointly with regional partners and institutions to coordinate the logistics to carry outreaches for the cardiovascular diagnosis’s campaigns.

How the "Give a Life" Social Program works?

Many regions of Colombia lack hospitals or clinics that can diagnose and provide comprehensive treatment for children with heart problems. The “Give a Life” social program aims to tackle this issue by funding a multidisciplinary FCI team comprised of pediatric doctors, cardiologists, nurses, social workers and other relevant professionals to lead health outreaches in these areas.

Every year, this exceptional team of medical professionals’ travels throughout the country on 14 distinct outreaches to diagnose children in underserved areas. So far, through the generous support of our donors, these outreaches diagnose approximately 3,400 children with heart diseases every year. Once identified, free transportation and accommodation in Bogota are provided to these children and their families in order to receive the necessary treatment at FCI

Outreaches

Diagnostic Regional OutreachesExceptional team of medical professionals’ who travels throughout the country on 14 distinct outreaches to diagnose children in underserved areas.

Transfer

Transfer of the children from the programTransfer of the children to Bogotá. Fundación Cardioinfantil provides air round-trip tickets to Bogota for every child and its guardian.

Treatment

Best practices and practitionersAs soon as the patient arrives to FCI, lab tests and pre-surgical studies are conducted and reviewed by FCI’s integrative medical team to ensure the patient receives the best quality of care possible. All costs associated with the patient’s treatment are covered through the “Give a Life” social program.

Food and Lodging

Food and lodging during the medical treatment and recoveryThanks to donations and the support of regional allies and private individuals, accommodation and food are provided to the patients and their families throughout the duration of treatment.

Back Home

Return to his/her hometown and follow-upOnce the surgery has been completed and the patient is ready to return home, our team works with the parents to ensure they understand and are able to oversee the recovery of their child’s health. The child is then ready to return home with a stronger heart, a better quality of life, and a real future.
Every following year, the medical team visits their previous patients as part of the outreaches to perform checkups.

There is still more work to be done.
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