HEART TO HEART’S NEWEST GOING GLOBAL SITE
Home to about five million people, Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse places in the world, popular for ecotourism thanks to its tropical rainforests, cloud forests, beaches, and mountains. Heart to Heart’s first site assessment to the capital city, San Jose, took place in October 2019, when this Pacific coast beach shot was photographed.
HEART DISEASE IN COSTA RICA
Heart to Heart has begun working with in-country cardiac specialists to increase access to life-saving surgery for the nearly 700 babies born with congenital heart disease in Costa Rica every year. The Dr. Carlos Saenz Herrera National Children’s Hospital (shown here) is the only hospital in the country where children can undergo open heart surgery.
COLLABORATING IN THE OPERATING ROOM
Dr. Kirk Kanter, Heart to Heart medical volunteer and pediatric cardiac surgeon at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta/Emory University, reviews a patient’s most recent echocardiogram, as Dr. Karla Castro (right) interprets the ongoing discussion for all involved. Dr. Kanter will lead Heart to Heart’s first pediatric surgical training mission in Costa Rica this November.
DYNAMIC DUO
Dr. Kanter (center) observes an open heart case being performed by Costa Rican heart surgeons Dr. Margarita Camacho (left) and Dr. Carlos Chacon (right). Drs. Camacho and Chacon have studied pediatric cardiac medicine and have worked together at the National Children’s Hospital for many years.
SAN JOSE FROM ABOVE
We are pleased to announce that our March 2020 mission, postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has been rescheduled for November 2021. Heart to Heart is looking forward to returning to beautiful Costa Rica with a full surgical training team! Stay tuned for more updates!