Gift of Life
Imagine being told that your child has a heart condition but there’s nothing your local doctors can do for them. 1.3 million children are born every year with a heart defect and 93% of them are born in a country that cannot afford the cardiac care they need. Gift of Life International works day and night to do as much as they can to care for as many of these children as possible. Established in 1975, Gift of Life saved their 10,000th child in 2008. Now, that number is over 38,000 and accounts for children from 80 countries across 5 continents.
Gift of Life is a Rotarian-based organization that has evolved over the past 4 decades into a global network of caring. The original service model involved bringing one child at a time to the United States for treatment. Today, while they still offer that service, they’ve developed a strategy where over 99% of the more than 3,500 children they provide care for each year can be treated in their country of birth. Gift of Life’s goal is to maximize their impact to “provide HOPE to children with heart disease and their families, EMPOWER doctors and nurses to treat children in their country of birth, build SUSTAINABLE pediatric cardiac programs in emerging countries and expand [their] global reach through PARTNERSHIPS with like-minded organizations.”
The heart conditions that Gift of Life currently helps treat are: Patent Ductus Arteriosis, Coarctation of the Aorta, Atrial Septal defect, Ventricular Septal Defect, and Tetrology of Fallot. To do so, Gift of Life needs help from individuals and organizations willing to donate their money or time to help children in need. Donations range from $50 to provide regular exams following a surgery all the way to hosting a child (along with a parent) from a different country for a few weeks before, during, and after their surgery here in the US. No matter the donation, the child gets a gift that can help keep them going for a lot longer than if this organization didn’t exist.
The Park Ridge Rotary club has long recognized the impact that this organization has had on the world and constantly makes an effort to get involved and help out where they can. In two particular cases, in March 2000 and December 2001, they even went so far as to host children here for the duration of their heart surgeries. Peter was the Rotary sponsor for the first child (4 year old Nazar Lavriv from Ukraine) while he stayed with a local family. And in 2001, Peter and Linda hosted Ihor Matsevko – an 8-year old boy from Ukraine – in their home during his surgery.
In an article written before Ihor’s arrival, Peter was quoted saying “Ihor has already touched many people who are happy to be involved in making his stay a happy one and just a little easier.” While the Wells family hosted Ihor and his mother Maria for three weeks, the entire community rallied around him, both Rotarians and non-Rotarians alike. People were there to help translate, drive him around, entertain him, show him all the sights this area has to offer, and some even took him to see the circus. Even Peter’s children, Jaclyn and Phil – respectively involved in their High School and Junior High Rotary equivalents at the time – helped get the younger members of the community involved. It was a massive team effort to help Ihor feel at home during what must have been a scary few weeks for him.
Ihor’s surgery happened at the Montefior Hospital in the Bronx – a major partner for the Gift of Life program. The hole in his heart was repaired, his main artery was reopened, and his heart chamber was restored to a normal size. Where before the surgery he used to turn blue with the slightest exertion, he left the US taking steps two at a time. While Park Ridge and the community were glad everything worked out for Ihor, nobody could have been happier than his mother.
A few weeks after their return to Ukraine, Maria sent a heartfelt letter to the Wells family, written with the help of a translator:
“Dear Linda, Peter, Jaclyn and Philip,
It is Maria and Ihor writing to you from Ukraine. We arrived home safely…
Now I will write about Ihor. Thank God that Ihor is healthy…
Ihor misses Mr. Peter. He misses walks with Mr. Peter and Tedi and rides on the swings. He would like to play games with Philip, and of course he misses Mrs. Linda and Jaclyn. Ihor loves you all and misses you all very much. He frequently asks me if there will be chance to visit you all in America.
At home in Ukraine, we tell everyone how well and with what great hospitality you welcomed us to your home, and treated us as your own family, notwithstanding that we did not speak English. You all tried your best to find your way out so that we will understand each other. You are very kind people. We sincerely thank you for all the goodness that you did for us.
We will pray for you. Let God keep you always in good health and protect your household from misfortune and grief; and if you would have tears in your eyes, then they should be tears of joy only. Let your wishes be fulfilled. God keep you and protect you…
I will write to you. Please write to us; and, if you do write to us, then of course write in English. Goodbye. We kiss you, embrace you, and love you, and thank you for everything.”