Surgeons of Hope has created a sustainable method for providing proper medical support for children born with congenital heart defects. As a volunteer, it has been a great way to learn and get involved with making a difference in these children's lives. Looking from the outside, the donations clearly go towards funding their impactful missions which change lives and train professionals throughout Latin America every year.
My association with Surgeons of Hope Foundation spanned a portion of the formative years when the ambitious humanitarian goal came into being: to bring pediatric open heart surgery to the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere (Central and South America), train and equip the local medical teams in the life-saving and life-altering procedures, and then to build a network of cooperating hospitals capable of supporting one another into the future. Surgeons of Hope has worked tirelessly to achieve that goal and made measurable progress. Children and their families no longer need to travel to an unfamiliar developed country to receive care for congenital or acquired heart problems.
I have been serving as the Operations and Missions Director for Surgeons of Hope for a few months, and I feel deeply honored to be part of such an incredible organization. With transparency and integrity in managing funds, their missions inspire meaningful change in the programs we support across each country. This is made possible by the unique individuals—board members, volunteers, and medical specialists—who wholeheartedly believe that children in Latin America deserve the chance to live a normal life.
I share a photo with one of our little patients who underwent a very complex open heart surgery back in July 2024 in Costa Rica.
I recently worked with Surgeons of Hope on a mission in Managua, Nicaragua at the Heart Center at La Mascota Hospital. As other reviewers have described, the work done by SoH in Managua is like no other. The Heart Center team La Mascota Hospital provides expert care to children in the region at all times. SoH has helped develop and build this program to be self-sufficient and proficient in their care of children with heart disease. Though many medical missions arrive to care for a limited number of children in a short period of time, SoH aims to train the local professionals and develop the local program to continue to operate and care for children even after the SoH team leaves the location. My role in the most-recent mission was that of physician consultant to the local team. The local Heart Center team at La Mascota was so skilled after years of support from Surgeons of Hope that my role was merely supportive to the local team, rather than providing direct patient care. Surgeons of Hope has trained the local team in Managua to act at a high level of proficiency in an arena of children's medical and surgical care that is even difficult to achieve at many institutions in the US.
I have worked as a physician volunteer for SOH in Mozambique, Senegal and Nicaragua. This is an excellent organization which is changing many lives; patients, families and local healthcare professionals. Their philosophy of long term commitment to communities is essential. I have witnessed the program in Nicaragua go from dependence to almost complete independence in a very short time. SOH built, equipped and trained staff for an amazing Heart Center in Nicaragua. Many children have now had their heart surgery there and have been able to become healthy young members of their families! Importantly SOH continues to train local healthcare professionals, and support them so the program is self sustaining. SOH is a great non-profit with an excellent philosophy to help children with congenital heart disease throughout the world.
I have volunteered on multiple trips with SOH to Managua, Nicaragua. What they have accomplished over the years there is truly amazing. They have built a wonderful cardiac facility, trained local staff, and improved countless lives. Its been an honor to be a part of SOH's endeavor's to improve the lives of children.
After having worked at SoH a few years ago, I can honestly say I am amazed at the way this organization is sustaining and growing momentum. Year after year they continue to bring more and more help and equipment to children and their families in impoverished latin american countries.
This organization has a direct impact on lives saved that would otherwise have no hope. Their role of education, generosity and professionalism should serve as an example to how non-profits can create positive change in the world.
Surgeons of Hope is a great charitable foundation, they support cardiac surgery in disadvantaged countries such as Nicaragua where they support multiple pediatric cardiac surgical procedures every year. This is a very dedicated group with compassionate volunteers and staff who go above and beyond in providing cardiac care to populations in need.
SOH is creating a footprint in the world of humanitarian initiatives as it strives to promote the development of self-sustainable programs for the prevention and management of congenital and acquired cardiac disease in children born in Low Income countries. The current concepts of humanitarian collaboration should focus on the "leave something behind" principles, but also advocate for two other vital premises: 1. indigent children deserve "first world quality of health care", rather than just "health care", and 2. collaboration matters. Indeed, the ultimate goal of SOH is to support the growth of a regional collaboration under the umbrella of an efficient Regional Network of Pediatric Cardiac Care. Together, hand-by-hand with our supporters and with other Non-Governmental Organizations, we can make a difference and leave a never ending legacy.
Surgeons of Hope saves and helps thousands of children to heal and to live like other children in developed countries do.
Thanks to the commitment and the dedication of this nonprofit organization, countless families have the chance to share daily life with their children and to help them pursue their dreams. It is a new beginning for those innocent lives that are thankful to both the local staff in Central America and the Surgeons of Hope team.
This outstanding organization deserves to grow in order to save more and more lives, and to contribute to a better world.
Surgeons of Hope brings first class surgical treatment to poor children with heart disease. The most important aspect of SoH's mission is that they not only cure children to offer them a normal life, but they bring the capabilities to local physicians and nurses so they can multiply the impact of their actions.
A great organisation!
JP Altier
Surgeons of Hope is on a great dynamic! The Foundation is never afraid to launch ambitious and successful projects saving more and more children each year. Giving to this charity is helping the most vulnerable communities across Latin America. With Surgeons of hope you can be sure that your gift will yield great results!
SOH has expanded from it's original site in Nicaragua and is now working in Costa Rica and exploring Panama and Peru. In 2015 our sites performed approximately 400 pediatric open heart surgeries and 100 cath lab diagnosis. Recently our missions operated on a 3 and 5 day old. Both survived and will lead healthy lives.
We recently started an endowment to provide for the future and we will appear in August on Univision. Our goal is to be the leading NGO in pediatric heart surgery in Latin America.
Surgeons of Hope is truly a wonderful organization. The missions of Surgeons of Hope save the lives of so many young children and infants year after year. Not only do the surgeons on these missions provide life-saving surgeries, but they also teach the local medical teams in Latin American hospitals how to perform such surgeries. This way, the work of Surgeons of Hope is both effective and sustainable.
I have read first-hand the mission reports when a team of surgeons has returned from saving the lives of young children and even infants which heart defects. Their dedication is inspiring, and their photos of the young children, so hopeless before surgery, and ready to play after surgery are moving beyond words. Everyone should help this great organization. The doctors and nurses volunteer their vacation days to use their medical training to save lives. I am so happy to give to this worthy cause.