Children's Heart Link helps Lviv hospital (01/02/00)

Children's Heart Link helps Lviv hospital

by Dr. Michael J. Kozak

MINNEAPOLIS - A year ago, Claudia Liebrecht, the president of a medical charity called Children's Heart Link, reported that she had received funding for a project designated for Ukraine. It would involve medical assistance provided through surgical treatment, education and the training of medical personnel, which would include sending medical volunteers and donations of medical equipment and supplies to Ukraine.

As medical director of the Children of Ukraine Foundation that is sponsored by St. Constantine's Ukrainian Catholic Church, this writer found this idea to be very exciting and appealing.

Established in 1969, and headquartered in Minneapolis, Children's Heart Link is an international medical charity dedicated to the treatment and prevention of heart diseases in needy children. Its staff and volunteer board of directors secure funding from a variety of sources, including individuals, corporations and foundations. It has already helped indigent children in 27 countries.

To accomplish this task in Ukraine it was necessary to find medical centers in need of such assistance and to establish contacts with physicians specializing in the treatment of heart diseases in children. The cities of Kyiv and Lviv were considered first, and contacts with cardiovascular physicians were soon established.

In July 1999, Ms. Liebrecht, and John C. Cushing Jr., director of program services of CHC visited medical centers in both cities. They were impressed with both centers and the people they met. The need for such a program was greater in Lviv, so this city was chosen as the first location in Ukraine to assist in establishing a modern cardiac surgery department for children. Meetings were held with the leading cardiologists, Dr. Dimitri Bablyak and Dr. Yurii Ivaniv. Pediatric cardiac surgeon Dr. Mykola Konyk was elected the primary contact with the leaders of Children's Heart Link.

In order to enhance cardiac services, several objectives have been established: 1) to share technical skills and knowledge related to the diagnosis and prevention of heart diseases in children; 2) to send cardiac teams to participate in the diagnosis and treatment (both surgical and trans-cath) for children; 3) to provide some essential medical supplies in support of cardiac services, and to establish lasting professional relationships with the local medical community.

Soon, two ship containers containing 35 medical items necessary to equip a modern pediatric cardiology department will be sent to Lviv's medical center.

Because of the unpredictable state of electric power and heating during the winter season, an American cardiac team headed by Dr. Donald Watson of the University of Tennessee is scheduled to arrive in Lviv this spring.

According to Ms. Liebrecht, if this endeavor succeeds in Lviv, Children's Heart Link is considering extending such assistance to other parts of Ukraine.

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