Patrons of the Heartsco-founders to present at 11th Global Forum for Humanitarian Medicine in Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery next month in Switzerland
Jose Ettedgui, MD, and wife Hilda to share their 10 years of experience providing cardiovascular care to children in need from underdeveloped countries
Jacksonville, Florida, June 2, 2015–Jose Ettedgui, MD, medical director of the UF Health Pediatric Cardiovascular Center affiliated with Wolfson Children’s Hospital, and his wife Hilda Ettedgui, MSc, co-founders of Patrons of the Hearts, have been invited to present at the 11th Global Forum for Humanitarian Medicine in Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery June 24 – 27, 2015, in Geneva, Switzerland. They will talk about their non-profit program, which has brought children with congenital heart disease from all over the world to Jacksonville for life-saving heart care at Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
“Hilda and I are very excited about having this chance to discuss Patrons of the Hearts at the meeting in Geneva,” said Dr. Ettedgui, a pediatric cardiologist on the medical staff of Wolfson Children’s Hospital. “We will be sharing our experience of the first 10 years of Patrons of the Hearts, focusing on how charitable organizations like ours can provide effective care for children with congenital heart disease who are in need through philanthropic support. It’s a tremendous opportunity.”
Treatment for children with congenital heart disease is expensive, and not readily available in all developing countries. The Ettedguis plan to talk about how non-profit, charitable organizations like Patrons of the Hearts are in a unique position to provide care through the development of partnerships with local children’s hospitals and their congenital heart teams. By securing funding through private donations, fundraising events and the development of an endowment fund as the organization has, they want to demonstrate how programs like theirs can find long-term viability, and provide life-saving treatment to children fromall over the world.
Since 2006, 85 children from 23 different countries including Haiti, Grenada, Afghanistan, Iraq, China, Venezuela, Ecuador, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Bosnia, have been sponsored by Patrons of the Hearts to receive treatment at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. These treatments have consisted of open- and closed-heart repairs, as well as catheter-based device closures, stent placements, pacemaker installations and radiofrequency ablations. The organization has $1.8 million in two endowmentscreated byPatrons of the Heartsthat are supplemented by the Baptist Health Matching Gift Program with the goal of ensuring that the program can continue to help children in the future.
With the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville and Wolfson Children’s donating hospitalization and physician services for heart repair, money raised through the Patrons of the Hearts help to cover supplies, travel and temporary housing for each child. Sometimes funding is supplemented by otherU.S.-based or internationalcharitable organizations that connect children from different parts of the world with medical expertise like that provided at Wolfson Children’s Hospital, helping Patrons of the Heartsfulfill its goal of treating up to 10 children with congenital heart disease a year.
Their primary fundraiser, Artscapade, is an annual event that gives donors a chance to learn about the organization and the children who have benefitted. Held in the fall, Artscapade brings together art, music, fun and love for children, each year celebrating the lives of the children who received life-saving care, and the donors who made it possible. This year’s event will be held Friday, November 6, 2015.
“Their care can be challenging and complex because, in many cases, they have been living with congenital heart disease for years, which can lead to other significant medical challenges,” said Dr. Ettedgui. “But it’s beneficial for our entire heart team not just because we love to do this work for area and international kids, but it also helps us build and maintain our skills. Ultimately, that benefits all of the children we take care of.”
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About Patrons of the Hearts
“Patrons of the Hearts” is a program that was formed to help children with complex congenital heart problems who live in developing countries. The program functions under the umbrella of Baptist Health Foundation, a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit organization. It is funded by individuals and corporations in the greater Jacksonville community, as well as grants from the First Hand Foundation of Cerner Corporation, KFehling & Associates, FaverGray and other organizations. “Patrons of the Hearts” was established to bring these international children to the UF Health Pediatric Cardiovascular Center and Wolfson Children’s Hospital for life-saving care. To make a tax-deducible donation to help a child, visit or call 904.202.2919.
About the Global Forum
The Global Forum for Humanitarian Medicine in Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery was started in 2003 in Geneva with the objective of becoming an international decision-making forum to improve cooperation and assistance to the Third World in the capacity building of their health sector. In addition, the forum seeks to support future and emerging challenges with special focus on cardiovascular disease.
About Wolfson Children’s Hospital of Jacksonville
Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, is part of Baptist Health, Northeast Florida’s most comprehensive health system serving every stage of life. Wolfson Children’s is the only hospital just for kids in Northeast Florida and serves as the region’s pediatric referral center. Staffed 24/7 by pediatric nurses and other health care professionals specially trained to work with children, the 213-bed, patient-and-family-centered hospital features the latest pediatric medical technology in a welcoming, child-friendly environment. At Wolfson Children’s, nationally recognized pediatric specialists representing nearly every medical and surgical specialty work with pediatricians to provide care for children of all ages with congenital heart conditions, cancer, neurological disorders, diabetes and endocrinology disorders, orthopaedic conditions, behavioral health conditions and more. Wolfson Children’s pediatric partners include Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville, the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville and Mayo Clinic Florida. For additional information, please visit wolfsonchildrens.org.