Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Who is Children's HeartLink and what is your mission?
A. Children's HeartLink is an international medical nonprofit, building sustainable programs to prevent, treat and cure heart disease among needy children in developing countries by mobilizing extraordinary hearts, minds and resources around the world.

Q. How is Children's HeartLink funded?
A. Children's HeartLink is a registered 501c(3) nonprofit organization, funded by private donations and grants from corporations, foundations, individual contributions and several special events through the year.

Q. Does Children's HeartLink support children in the United States?
If not, why?
A. No. Children's HeartLink believes that in order to save the greatest number of lives, we must work to improve the quality, quantity and accessibility of cardiovascular services in under-served regions of the world. More than 90 percent of people living outside of North America, Australia and Europe have no access to cardiac care. In comparison, most children in the United States receive treatment regardless of socio-economical circumstances.


Q. Does Children's HeartLink bring patients from developing countries to the United States?
A. In 1969, Children's HeartLink began by bringing patients to the U.S. to receive life-saving operations, but since the early 90s, Children's HeartLink has focused on existing cardiac programs by mobilizing teams and resources to developing countries, empowering local medical personnel to provide sustainable cardiac services to the greatest number of needy children possible.


Q. Who does Children's HeartLink serve?
A. Children's HeartLink supports the enhancement of services to treat children with or at risk of heart disease in underserved regions of the world.


Q. How does Children's HeartLink select medical volunteers? What type of medical volunteers does Children's HeartLink need?
A. Children's HeartLink is able to attract and select the most competent; culturally sensitive and most experienced health professionals who provide pediatric cardiac services from around the world. Children's HeartLink requires medical volunteers to have a minimum of three years experience providing care at a center of excellence.