The Little Hearts Project
Mentor Team
It is a new reality for the Little Hearts Project - and a new kind of team for Friends of Barnabas.
It is hard to believe, but the dream of providing locally managed ongoing pediatric cardiac services is indeed a reality in Honduras. Thus far this year, the Little Hearts Project has been able to provide over 30 children with heart surgery in Honduras. Without this ongoing program, these children would have had to wait for months or longer for a team from the US to come. Now, instead, children are being served each week through the Little Hearts Project. What a miracle!
This week, we are introducing a new, small, "mentor" team. Our first mentor team arrived over the weekend and is now in Honduras to help move the local medical professionals who are a part of the Honduran Little Hearts Project team to the next level. The Honduran Team will continue to provide surgeries this week at Ruth Paz Hospital but will work with guidance and support from their "mentor" colleagues.
The first 30 cases of this project have been PDAs (Patent Ductus Arteriosus). The Honduran team is completely proficient with these cases. The next step for the program is to move to ASDs (Atrial Septal Defects). This is what the mentor team is training the Honduran Team on this week. We have 6 surgeries planned for this week, and all have similar ASD conditions. The idea is to train the Honduran Team how best to care for children with ASDs, to build their skills and their confidence.
On Sunday, the mentor team - which is comprised of professionals from the U.S., Mexico, and Guatemala - met with the Honduran Team for a case conference. They reviewed the upcoming procedures and decided together how best to care for these precious children.
Our first patient, Sharon, is three years old and she will be coming out of the OR soon.
Meanwhile, Ramon, who is 8 years old, is being prepped for surgery.
While the surgical side of the Little Hearts Project advances to the next level, progress is also being made with catheterizations taking place at Cemesa Hospital. Again, teaching is taking place as patients are cared for and provided with life-saving procedures.
Amazing things are happening! The Little Hearts Project is taking a big step this week! Pray with us and for the sweet faces you'll see in the coming days.
