My Nonprofit Reviews

Hi, my name is Erneste Simpunga also known as Young man from Rwanda. I would like to talk about my 15-year- experience with Team Heart.


I grew up in Eastern province of Rwanda, hoping to become a Journalist or a Pilot. Towards the end of my primary school I had symptoms of Heart Failure which I neglected till the end of my first year of Secondary School when I took it serious seeking medical help from health center, district hospital, referral hospital and tertiary hospital - a journey that took nearly 3 years and had to give up with school.


My cardiologist said I had Rheumatic Heart Disease and I needed surgery to replace two valves.
He suggested India for the operation but we did not have the money he estimated.
Lucky enough, Team Heart was in its early stage of partnership with the government of Rwanda and in 2 years they screened me - confirming that surgical replacement of 2 of the 4 heart valves is the best option for me even though it was a high risk operation itself and in addition to being very sick (weighed 75 pounds at 17 years of age).


In July 2008, Team Heart operated on me and my full recovery went on till December the same year, each day feeling better than the day before, to the point that even at two (2) weeks after surgery I could bike 11 miles already. Looking at how medicine and surgery and team work could change lives, I was inspired to be a doctor.
January 2009 I resumed the rest of my high school studies graduating in 2011 then applied to Medical school at the University of Rwanda and graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in November 2019, followed by pre-internship, internship and deployment by the Ministry of Health to one of the rural district hospitals where help is truly needed, and I enjoy helping mothers and babies survive ( Attached is a photo of myself attentively performing a safe cesarean delivery).


I recently applied to a training in general surgery which will be 4 years, and later I plan to apply for heart surgery training so that one day I may become the person doing similar and more operations to others.
Team Heart has been coming to Rwanda at least once a year since 2008 to encourage prevention of Rheumatic Heart Disease, offer heart surgery to those in need, and even transfer knowledge, skills and inspiration to our local staff - a journey that enabled Rwanda to independently perform heart surgeries since February 2021 and now working to expand the local team.


Please help me to expand my forever gratitude to this organization by recognizing them.


Thank you,


Erneste
________________________
esimpunga@gmail.com
+250783078569

Dear readers,
My name is Erneste Simpunga, I'm 29 years old. It's been 12 years since Team Heart saved my life. Born and raised in Rwanda, at age of 16 I was diagnosed with Rheumatic Heart Disease that severely damaged two of my four heart valves to the point that surgery was the only solution to replace those valves. By the time my diagnosis was made, my country had only 2 cardiologists and zero heart surgeon. My family was asked to raise $15000 to go to India for surgery but it was a dream. Staying on medications from 2006 to 2008 my physician informed us that there is a charity organization that in collaboration with our government is coming to offer free surgeries to all suffering patients. Their first trip to Kigali, Rwanda was in April 2008. The bad news was that I was too sick (75pounds) to survive this major operations. However, the good news was that other 12 fellow patients were potential candidates and successfully had their surgeries and were discharged home. The other good news was that Team Heart gave me a second chance to go to Boston as a safe place for a safe operation free of charge.
Dr. Chip Bolman, a heart surgeon and his wife, a nurse as the founders of this organization offered me a place at their home and he with his team at the Brigham and Women's Hospital did my surgery in July 29, 2008 and I returned to my beloved country in November 2008.
For Team Heart, the challenge of selecting only 12 to 16 patients from thousands of sick patients has made them work so much harder to return annually and save more of previously screened patients. Also, coming back a year late and see the 16 patients previously operated on gives so much pleasure to even work more harder on innovative ways to save a huge number of patients. There is a lot of rheumatic heart disease here and probably even a large number of undiagnosed cases. Many young female and male Rwandese die undiagnosed. Team Heart has also directly transferred skills to local nurses and doctors over this 12 year period of their annual visits. Their mentorship has recently produced the first Rwandan cardiothoracic surgeon.
My experience with inspiration from Team Heart has made me change my mind to persue a degree in journalism or pilot and go to medical school, and I'm getting a medical degree from the University of Rwanda School of Medicine and Pharmacy on my 30th birthday (November 8,2019) with plans to go on with additional training to become a cardiologist and help others the same way I was helped.
Much has been done by this wonderful organization, but there is even much more to be done yet. Please kindly consider making a donation to Team Heart to help save thousands of so young people who would otherwise have no future.
With love and gratitude for your donations,

Erneste Simpunga
Team Heart patient 2008.

University of Rwanda

M:+250788492879
E: esimpunga@gmail.com