Below is a translation of the original Belarussian news article, linked here. 

Minsk, February 21. In Belarus, a charity organization, International Children’s Heart Foundation, and their Famous American heart surgeon Dr. William Novick came to the republic. Under his leadership a dozen children received complex heart operations. With this mission work, Novick has visited the republic since 2000. A special moment happened when future and former patients of the doctor met the correspondent channel “WORLD 24″ Inna Sogalovich.

Maxim and his mother Irina Gorchakov  are ready to play all day. Nine years ago they could only dream of such a simple happiness. The boy had seven heart defects and mirroring bodies. Maxim was five months old when the local doctors told the parents that they could not help. Then these operations in the country could not be done. Then William Novick came and saved children’s lives.

“He had been a complication in intensive care. He started swelling of the lungs. But surgeons managed. Everything is wonderful, a huge thanks to them. They gave life to our child “, – says Irina Gorchakov.

World-renowned physician, professor of surgery at the University of Tennessee William Novick with an international team of doctors first arrived in Belarus in 2000. Then start work program “International Children’s Heart Foundation.” This is a joint project of the Ministry of Health, the ICHF and the Belarusian Children’s Fund. During this time, nearly five hundred children have a chance at life thanks to complex operations.

“It’s always useful to see new cases, to once again make sure that you are a good surgeon. I always take something for myself, when I come to Minsk “- said Novick.

During the visit of the international brigades scheduled about a dozen operations. Belarusian surgeons will perform their own. American counterpart only tell you how best to proceed in the most difficult and rare.

“We do now, all operations are done in the world of congenital heart disease. We fully cover the needs of the Republic of Belarus in such operations. And over the past few years by the Ministry of Health was not sent any child for operations abroad, “- said the deputy director of the children’s center kardiohirurgicheskogo RSPC” Cardiology “Konstantin Drozdowski.

Now for treatment in Minsk brought children from Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan. Some Belarusian surgeons, in turn, together with William Novick teach their colleagues from other countries to conduct such operations.