The Ripple Effect

For decades, Dr. Michael Womack has quietly mentored pediatric interventional cardiologists throughout Central America. Traveling, often alone, he invested countless hours supporting physicians in Panama and Costa Rica as they raised the standard of care for children with congenital heart disease. Every visit became an opportunity to invite colleagues from across the region to learn together. Whether the program was in Costa Rica, Panama, or, more recently, Nicaragua, the goal was never simply to provide the safety net needed to treat more complex procedures. It was to build a regional team of physicians who would one day support one another.
 
Every trip became an opportunity to celebrate successes, work through frustrations, and train anyone committed to improving pediatric heart care in the region.
 
Over the past several years, that focus shifted to Nicaragua. Visit by visit, Mending Kids and our partners worked to strengthen the country's pediatric interventional cardiology program while shining a spotlight on the growing need. The Ministry of Health took notice and, last year, invested in a new cardiac catheterization laboratory. We celebrated as the team performed its first cases independently. We returned with additional specialists to strengthen other aspects of the program and continued building the confidence and skills needed to expand care safely.
 
Last week marked another milestone.

For the first time, Mending Kids supported a pediatric interventional cardiology trip to Nicaragua without Dr. Womack at the table. Instead, the physicians from Panama and Costa Rica, who have trained alongside him for years, came together to support their Nicaraguan colleagues. Together, they safely treated children while providing the mentorship, confidence, and safety net needed by the next generation of pediatric interventional cardiologists.
 
That was always the plan.
 
This wasn't a transition away from mentorship. Dr. Womack will return this fall to continue expanding the complexity of cases that can be treated locally and to strengthen echocardiography training. But this milestone demonstrated something we have been working toward for years. Between those larger teaching trips, the region is beginning to support itself.
 
That means physicians can travel more frequently within Central America, continue learning from one another, and help more children receive lifesaving cardiac care without waiting for the next international mission.
 
That has always been the vision, not simply to build programs, but to build people. Because when one physician teaches another, and one country begins supporting the next, there is no telling how many children will ultimately benefit.
 
Together, we are Mending Kids.

Mend a Child

Nicaragua Interventional Cardiology Photo Album

---

HIKE 2 MEND - SAVE THE DATE - 10.03.2026

Register for Free & Donate