Benny and Francis received treatment for their heart problems at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in April 2007. They represent the fruitful collaboration between two separate charitable organizations with a common goal: provide care for children with congenital heart disease from underdeveloped countries. Evaluation in Uganda, travel to Jacksonville and lodging with host families was sponsored by the Children’s Heart Project of Samaritan’s Purse, a charitable organization based in North Carolina with medical care in Jacksonville being coordinated by Patrons of the Hearts.

Benny is a 5 year old boy from Kenya who moved to Uganda with his family in search of better opportunities. He has a form of congenital heart disease called Tetralogy of Fallot which consists of a large hole between the two pumping chambers of the heart combined with narrowing of the pathway of blood flow from the heart to the lungs. This condition requires open heart surgery. Travel to Jacksonville for Benny and his mom was sponsored by the Children’s Heart Project of Samaritan’s Purse. Eric Ceithaml MD performed corrective surgery on Benny on April 4, 2007 with a great outcome. He returned to Uganda at the beginning of May.

Francis is a 2 year old boy from Uganda diagnosed with pulmonary valve stenosis (narrowed valve between the right pumping chamber and the vessel to the lungs) and a patent ductus arteriosus (abnormal vessel between the main vessel to the body and the vessels to the lungs). These problems can be treated effectively using cardiac catheterization techniques. Travel to Jacksonville for Francis and his mom was also sponsored by the Children’s Heart Project of Samaritan’s Purse. At the time of the catheterization procedure performed by Robert English MD it was noted that Francis also had an abnormality of the main vessels to the body called a vascular ring in which the airway is encircled and compressed by these vessels. On April 9, 2007 Robert Dabal MD performed corrective surgery with an excellent result. Francis returned to Uganda the first week of May.