Building bridges between nations and bringing people together over one great cause - the heart of a child.

Congenital heart disease is the world's most common birth defect, affecting one in every 100 children worldwide.

Without treatment, one third of these children will die before their first birthday.

Children's HeartLink helps enhance existing pediatric cardiac programs through on and off-site training provided by volunteer teams and consultants, technical assistance and resources (funding, equipment and supplies) to support life-saving treatment for needy children. As a result, we bring both immediate relief and a long-term solution: teaching these communities how to care for their own.

Click here to listen to Twin Cities Insight with John Cushing and Elizabeth Bickel talking about recent mission to China plus earthquake update - June 8, 2008

Click here for information on recent mission to China - May 17 - 24, 2008

Click here for recent news release on Clinton Global Initiative - May 14, 2008

Click here for information on recent mission to Malaysia - April 20 - 26, 2008

Using the most brilliant medical minds in the world

On average, more than a hundred medical volunteers from North America and the world volunteer their time, knowledge and expertise to Children's HeartLink each year. Medical volunteers come from some of the world's best centers of excellence such as Mayo Clinic, Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University, Boston Children's Hospital, The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and Birmingham Children's Hospital in the UK. "Not only are we providing much needed medical care to the neediest of children, but we're also helping cardiac programs in currently nine countries provide better and more accessible cardiac services to an increasing number of children," said Elizabeth Bickel, President, Children's HeartLink.

Heart disease has ravaged the world's most precious resource: its children, and stolen their hope for the future. Please help make a difference today.

Children's HeartLink released new global report on pediatric cardiac disease

A second global report on pediatric heart disease has been released showing that congenital and acquired heart diseases affect millions of children around the world, but the majority of them will never receive the treatment they need. These children have no access to treatment, not only because of a lack of access to cardiac care, but also because of a general lack of socio-economic development and health care investment in their countries.

Click here for more information