HONDURAS

Healing Little Hearts

Children’s Cardiac Advocacy Project

Every child deserves a strong heart and a real chance at life.

In Honduras, a country of around 10.6 million people datadot, congenital heart disease (CHD) affects about 9 to 10 out of every 1,000 live births PMC+1. That means thousands of newborns each year are born with a defect in their heart’s structure—defects that often go undetected or untreated due to lack of resources.

Globally, CHD is the most common birth defect, with a birth prevalence of about 9.4 per 1,000 live births as of 2017. PMC+1 In fact, CHD causes a significant fraction of infant mortality related to birth defects. Frontiers+1

Yet in Honduras, the reality is tougher: access to pediatric cardiology care, surgeries, post-operative care, and trained specialists is extremely limited. Many children are left waiting, and too many pay with their lives.

Our Commitment with the Rotary Club of Historic Jackson Heights

For over a decade, we have stood together with families in San Pedro Sula and beyond—providing funding for surgeries, partnering with medical teams, and raising awareness of the urgent needs faced by children with CHD in Honduras.

Here’s what we’ve done so far:

• ✅ Funded life-saving heart surgeries for children who otherwise would not receive treatment

• ✅ Helped transport children and their families to treatment centers when local care is unavailable

• ✅ Worked hand-in-hand with local and international medical professionals to build capacity

• ✅ Educated communities about CHD—its signs, treatment possibilities, and the importance of early intervention

Vision for the Future

We aim to scale up our impact by focusing on:

➡️ Increasing the number of pediatric cardiac surgeries performed in Honduras, so more families can receive care locally
➡️ Training and equipping local medical professionals—cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, nurses, and support staff—so that quality, sustainable care can be provided close to home

The Challenge & Call to Action

Right now, many children born with CHD in Honduras are waiting months, or longer, for treatment they can’t access. For them, a congenital heart defect can be more than a medical diagnosis—it can feel like a death sentence.

Together with Gift of Life International and Heart Gift, we are working to sponsor operations and train local medical teams to meet this urgent need. But we can’t do it alone.

Join Us in Saving Lives

You can make a difference now—through donating, volunteering, or simply spreading the word. Every action helps bring hope, healing, and second chances.

Be part of the solution. Contact us to learn how you can help give these children the healthy heart and life they deserve.