Ghana Cardiac Mission
Dr. Francis Fynn-Thompson - Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon, Boston Children's Hospital
Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra
Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra
Support This MissionSince 2024, Mending Kids has been working with Dr. Francis Fynn-Thompson of Boston Children’s Hospital to provide life-saving heart surgeries for children and hands-on ICU training for local teams at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana.
Right now, more than 1,200 children are waiting for heart surgery. With only a few ICU beds available, time isn’t on their side. Some families are forced to send their children abroad for care—an option that’s often out of reach and can’t be the long-term solution.
We’re focused on changing that—by supporting pediatric heart surgeries, training ICU staff, and helping build a program that can stand on its own. So far, we’ve completed 3 missions, treated dozens of kids, and trained local surgeons and staff who are now better equipped to care for even more. The goal: make it possible for children in Ghana to get the care they need, close to home.
Right now, more than 1,200 children are waiting for heart surgery. With only a few ICU beds available, time isn’t on their side. Some families are forced to send their children abroad for care—an option that’s often out of reach and can’t be the long-term solution.
We’re focused on changing that—by supporting pediatric heart surgeries, training ICU staff, and helping build a program that can stand on its own. So far, we’ve completed 3 missions, treated dozens of kids, and trained local surgeons and staff who are now better equipped to care for even more. The goal: make it possible for children in Ghana to get the care they need, close to home.
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What We’re Doing
- Training and Mentorship: Every mission includes hands-on instruction in the OR and ICU. One focused visit helped local providers improve post-surgical extubation protocols, doubling the number of children treated safely since then.
- Supporting Local Capacity: By working with existing infrastructure and local leadership, we’re helping build trust and strengthen systems. This includes guidance on surgical technique, ICU best practices, and developing future cardiac specialists.
- Creating Pathways: We’re supporting national conversations about cardiac program expansion, equitable training opportunities, and long-term infrastructure needs—including the possibility of establishing a Ronald McDonald-style housing solution for families.
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How You Can HelpYour support helps cover the cost of training, supplies, ICU equipment, and surgeries. Together, we’re not only mending hearts—we’re building a future where no child has to wait years for care.
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The Bigger Vision
Our partners on the ground know that more must be done. We’ve been invited to sit at the table with national stakeholders, including parliamentarians, hospital leaders, and the Ministry of Health, to help shape the future of cardiac care in Ghana.
Over the next 5–10 years, we envision:
- Expanded ICU capacity to meet the demand and reduce mortality.
- A new generation of Ghanaian-trained pediatric surgeons, nurses, and intensivists.
- Better support for families traveling from rural areas to receive care, so they have a safe place to stay while their child is being treated.
- Regional outreach and screening programs to find and treat children earlier.
Over the next 5–10 years, we envision:
- Expanded ICU capacity to meet the demand and reduce mortality.
- A new generation of Ghanaian-trained pediatric surgeons, nurses, and intensivists.
- Better support for families traveling from rural areas to receive care, so they have a safe place to stay while their child is being treated.
- Regional outreach and screening programs to find and treat children earlier.
Ghana cardiac mission
Help Us Mend Kids in Ghana.
Our surgical team is donating their skills, time, and hearts — but getting them there, and giving them what they need to operate, takes resources. Your donation helps cover flights from Los Angeles, hotel stays near the hospital, extra luggage fees to transport vital supplies, and the consumables needed in every surgery. It also supports the effort behind the scenes to make it all run smoothly. Every dollar gets us closer to transforming lives — not just through surgery, but through the power of showing up. |
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thank you to our amazing mission sponsors
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