Treating and preventing pediatric heart disease around the world.
What We Do
Heart Healers International is a U.S. non-profit organization dedicated to prevention and treatment of rheumatic or congenital heart disease in resource limited settings by providing clinical care, research, training and capacity building.
Our Impact
2,052
Heart Surgeries Performed
5
Continents Where We Are Currently Doing Work
153
Research Publications
>327,000
Children Screened for Early Heart Disease
517
Doctors, Nurses, and Technicians Trained
Every $5000 donated could save one child’s life. Any donation, no matter the size, will contribute to the healing of children’s hearts around the world.
What We Treat
Rheumatic Heart Disease
Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) is one of the world’s most devastating yet overlooked infectious diseases. RHD develops when the immune system mounts an abnormal response to Strep A infections, such as untreated strep throat, causing lasting damage to the heart. Strep A is the fifth leading cause of death among infectious diseases globally.
Each year, nearly 400,000 children and young adults die from RHD, while hundreds of thousands more live with chronic, often debilitating complications. It is completely preventable, yet it receives far less attention than its impact demands.
Together with its partners, HHI is a global leader in the research, prevention, and treatment of RHD—working on the front lines in some of the world’s hardest-hit regions to reduce suffering and save lives.
Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect impacting approximately 1% of all babies born. These conditions include holes in the heart and blockage or leakage of heart valves and blood vessels. Many forms of CHD are highly treatable or curable with timely diagnosis, surgery, and follow-up care, yet access to that care remains deeply unequal around the world.
Less than 10% of the children in the world have access to care for CHD, which we take for granted in the United States. Very few places in Sub-Saharan Africa have the resources to diagnose or treat children with congenital heart disease. Specialized training, modern equipment, and surgical programs are scarce, leaving families without options.
By focusing on building local capacity, HHI works to ensure that children in these places can receive care equal to that available in highly developed regions. Through partnerships with institutions like Uganda Heart Institute, HHI has expanded year-round access to life-saving diagnosis, surgery, and aftercare by training clinicians, strengthening surgical teams, and upgrading facilities.