Team Heart's Mission to Rwanda

Team Heart 2011-12-30 21:25:00

Ceeya Patton-Bolman — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 21:25:00 +0000

As the New Year approaches, we have reason to be optimistic and celebrate our work in Rwanda. This month, Rwanda approved a young potential surgeon a scholarship to travel to South Africa for general and cardiac surgery training. In April, we hope to see another young talented general surgeon travel to India for cardiac surgery training in Chennai --he would return in 2015 as a fully trained cardiac surgeon. A perfusionist returned few months ago and will work with us in February. Rwanda sent an anesthesiologist to Brussels and he will be back to work with us and has already joined Team Heart anesthesia in discussion and planning. In September, the best echo team ever, screened over 2800 at risk school age children. In November, Team Heart provided a scholarship and the clinical experience for a Rwandan born sonographer to finish a 6 month US training program--he returns home to Kigali in January. Egidia spent two months in Rwanda as the first ever Team Heart BWH Global Nurse Scholar working toward completing a follow-up of the patients having valve surgery in the past 4 years to evaluate outcomes with our Rwanda Colleagues.

And most importantly, we have done it for the right reasons--because we care about the people and the country we have grown to love. We see our patients doing well and although some struggling to make a living, those thriving are supporting the others, some emotionally, some financially. All of this would have never have happened without the support of volunteers working in partnership with the Rwandan team....and it would not happen without the generous financial support of you! We appreciate you end of year donations....

Team Heart Gala

teamheart — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 19:04:50 +0000

Answering Africa’s Call

Please join Team Heart as we Honor the work of:

Sasha Chanoff, Sister Ann Fox, & Ambassador Charles Stith

November 10, 2011, 6-10pm

The Fairmont Copley Plaza

138 St. James Ave, Boston, MA

please make a donation and attend the event

Good food and Cape Cod Beer

teamheart — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:43:01 +0000

Saturday, November 19 · 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location : Cape Cod Beer
More Info : Good food and Cape Cod Beer with silent auction to raise money for Carrie Consalvi to travel with Team Heart in their mission to help some sick kids and young adults battle rheumatic heart disease. This Team of talented open heart surgical specialists will travel to Rwanda in February to save as many kids lives as possible!!!

Tickets can be purchased at the brewery in advance for $25. Only 150 total tickets are available for this event!

RSVP for this event

Ewa-Framingham Heart Study

Ceeya Patton-Bolman — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:57:00 +0000

Ewa was educated as a physician in her native country of Poland and added sonography to her resume when she and her husband emigrated to Canada. When he moved to Boston to take a job, Ewa found the perfect place with the well-known Framingham Heart Study. So it is no surprise she was a leader in understanding that exercise, rest, and family and balance in life is important on these trips-a message many of us need to hear--and often!

Although the Sonosite was a new machine to her, she quickly adapted to obtain the best images possible. For an outsider (me a non-sonograher) I had no ideal the importance of size of the chest (Rwandan school children are almost all very, very thin) and the size of the transducer and how machines might over-read---and the challenge this presents. So by the end of the first few days, I could tell what the deep sighs were meaning from the team. For a while I thought every child in Rwanda hadtricuspid regurgitation.....

Consistent through-out this team (and why they were selected), each took great pride in every single study. No corners cut--ever. Ewa certainly fit this mold. It is also no surprise that she immediately offered to help moving forward with education with physicians and potential sonographers in the future.

As always, Josh Goldberg, snapped these photos and more found on Facebook with permission from the students.

Ewa-Framingham Heart Study

Ceeya Patton-Bolman — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:57:00 +0000

As always, Josh Goldberg, snapped these photos and more found on Facebook with permission from the students.

Team Heart 2011-10-12 13:24:00

Ceeya Patton-Bolman — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:24:00 +0000

Laurel, from Tufts, is originally from Minnesota. She is a quiet presence ready to do what she can to set up her station and keep running smoothly. Quick to volunteer to work in either the boys room or girls, she does whatever is needed. Calm, she does not appear anxious or concerned about new surroundings or challenges--a trait I recognize in sonographers meant to do this type of challenging fieldwork. She keeps the others company during extra activities, whether a run in the neighborhood, or to explore an offbeat restaurant near by. She shows leadership in set-up, and then looks around for who needs help. Quick to convert her space if needed, she has a sense of peace around her which the children immediately recognize. It was so hard to capture the looks she exchanged with each child--although Josh tried....one that gave each child all they needed to know to feel--as Hey this is Ok...

I asked Laurel what attracted her to our program...."I have never been on a medical mission trip. Chances to volunteer doing ultrasound rarely come along. I know that many Rwandans lack basic health care, and my services could help improve the lives of children. How could I resist really? I also love to travel and experience other cultures."

Team Heart 2011-10-12 08:24:00

Ceeya Patton-Bolman — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:24:00 +0000

Lisa Bruno, Lahey Clinic

Ceeya Patton-Bolman — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 21:10:00 +0000

Lisa has been a sonographer at Lahey Clinic for two years after a number of management positions in non-medical fields. She loves solving problems systematically, which is why she is a good sonographer. Lisa’s home institution is supportive of global health initiatives and many co-workers appeared interested and followed her participation. Lisa used every opportunity that came up to spread the word of what Team Heart was about and unselfishly conveyed the role of the organization, embracing the very spirit of our organization. Observant, but not judgmental she was a quiet participant in every aspect of the packed week. I have no doubt if we receive any press from this trip, it will be Lisa’s passionate description when she met the reporter in the airport! It was fortunate for a silent child who watched as she scanned that she found a child who could undergo surgical repair in November by a Belgium partner and extend their life. And that is what it is all about!

Fiercely protective of the young girls privacy during scanning, we coined gender sensitive care to a multitude of tactics!! Lisa helped engineer curtains on the windows and took responsibility for seeing they arrived each day in her blue roller bag. Curiosity won out as various children would try to peek. Amid much giggling they would be chased away again and again...Clearly the girls appreciated the curtains, as did all the sonographers as it reduced the glare on screens!!

Lisa Bruno, Lahey Clinic

Ceeya Patton-Bolman — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 21:10:00 +0000

Meet David Adams, Duke University Medical Center

Ceeya Patton-Bolman — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:13:00 +0000

David Adams, From Duke University Medical Center, is so unpretentious and down to earth that it was hard to balance the persona you find when you Google him with the very sincere person just doing his job. He brings over 30 years of experience and education to cardiac sonography. David is one of the most recognized names of sonography is the US and is known for his expertise in teaching.

He has received numerous awards, but a recent one recognizes a cardiac sonographer who has played a luminary role in the field of echocardiography. The first Sonographer Lifetime Achievement Award was presented during ASE's Annual Scientific Sessions, June 11-14, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

For us he was just a great guy, pushing the bus out of the deep ruts when stuck, quietly supporting the other sonographers, teasing his friends out of a slow start in the morning. The father of grown children, he is the comfort that children seek when they place their tiny hand in his as they walk toward a couple of desks pushed together to make a cot. For him, that child and echo takes the role of the most important thing on the moment as his concentration never wavered as he watched the screen for anything abnormal in a long day, For us, it was an honor and a pleasure to have him part of this team.