FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to do heart surgery on a child?
It depends. Some of the factors that determine the cost are the country we are going to, hotel charges, airline fares, the amount of medical supplies and equipment that has been donated, size of the medical team going, and where they are traveling from. As an example, going to Nicaragua usually costs around $18,000, assuming the medical supplies are donated, which they often are. During a two week trip the medical team typically operates on between 15 - 20 children. The average cost/surgery is between $900 - $1,125, when you look at our expenses only. Other countries, like China, are significantly more expensive.
How often do you receive requests for pediatric surgery?
Every day. In the last 2 days I have received 3 emails requesting our services. The foundation also receives letters and faxes directed to Dr. Novick from parents and relatives of children with heart disease. These requests arrive every week from all over the world.
How often are surgical trips made?
Over the years that number has increased significantly. This year, we have gone on trips every month and that will continue through the end of this year. The team in Nicaragua was composed of volunteers from five different countries. This was a giant step forward for us as we continue to grow.
How many medical volunteers are involved with the Foundation's efforts?
As of August, we had almost 300 medical professionals who are registered and certified to travel and teach with our medical staff.
Are the medical volunteers compensated?
The medical volunteers are just that, volunteers. Usually they will schedule trips with us on their vacations and in some cases the medical institutions they are affiliated with allow them to take time off for humanitarian efforts.
What is the biggest need of the Foundation?
Simply stated, it is money. Although we work diligently to get as many things as possible donated, there are still staff salaries to be paid and there are always expenses related to trips, for instance the shipping of medical supplies. Our only limitation in the number of children's lives we can save is the ability to fund more trips.
Copyright © 2002 International Children's Heart Foundation -- The International Children's Heart Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 charitable organization based in Memphis, Tennessee. We are dedicated to helping children with congenital or acquired heart disease in developing countries throughout the world. We serve all children without respect to their race, religion or sex. Our primary goal is to make ourselves obsolete in the countries that we serve. To this end, we strive to educate the health care professionals in the countries we travel and bring them to the United States for advanced study so that they may better serve their own children. Since midnight, 13 people have visited this website. Each visitor viewed an average of 1.2 pages. We appreciate your interest. Comments regarding , , are always welcome.