On Sunday, three Haitian children suffering from heart disease, Jules, 13, Phebe, 10 years and Luigy, 7 years have landed the plane at Orly airport where they were greeted by members of the Association "La Chaîne de l'espoir" (Chain of Hope). These are the very first Haitian children, since the earthquake to have obtained permission to have surgery in France.

The arrival of these children follows a trip last June by Professor Alain Deloche, cardiac surgeon at the Hospital Georges Pompidou (Paris, XIV) and founder of the "La Chaîne de l'espoir", "We decided, with cardiologists Haitians, to bring children who were in serious condition but were able to travel" indicating that in Haiti there are good cardiologists but the hospital infrastructure essential for this type of operation were destroyed.

The first patient, Jules will be received in consultation Monday morning at the Georges-Pompidou hospital and should be operated as of Thursday. After its stay at the hospital, it will have to spend a few days in convalescent home before finding a host family for about a month of convalescence.

Association "La Chaîne de l'espoir" has already helped over 3,000 children from 31 countries to benefit from an operation in France. "The stay of small Haitian cost between 2,000 and 3,000 euros per child, all funded by donations" said Professor Deloche.

In November, a team from the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) of Rangueil, Toulouse, will travel two weeks in Haiti to operate children and implement a program of training and assistance of medical equipment for the medical staff. A mission that should lead to the creation of a pediatric cardiac surgery center in Haiti.

S/ HaitiLibre