Children recipients of heart surgery in Israel
Save a Child's Heart (SACH) is a humanitarian organization that has brought to Israel for heart surgery more than 2600 children from around the region, and parts of Africa, Asia and eastern Europe, as well as from the Palestinian territories -- some 37 countries or territories altogether - all at no cost to the patients or their families. Just last month, the 15 year-old group was recommended for special consultative status by the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The status enables them to participate in various UN bodies and, more important to SACH, gives the group inter-national stature - it's no longer just a Jewish charity. CAUTION: Some photos show the heart surgery which may be disturbing to some viewers and discretion is advised.
Israeli cardiologist surgeon Lior Sasson places his hand on the engorged heart of Abdel-Rahman Ghouti, a 9-month-old Palestinian boy, just before starting open heart surgery with a team of Israeli doctors and nurses at Wolfson Medical Center located in the central Israeli city of Holon, May 17,2011. The child from Rafah, Gaza Strip, is treated under the program, Save A Heart (SACH), the Israeli based international humanitarian project that aims to provide pediatric cardiac care to children in developing countries. The baby suffers from Congenital heart disease.Heidi Levine/Sipa Press
Israeli cardiologist surgeon Lior Sasson places his hand on the engorged heart of Abdel-Rahman Ghouti, a 9-month-old Palestinian 9-month old boy, just before starting open heart surgery with a team of Israeli doctors and nurses at Wolfson Medical Centerlocated in the central Israeli city of Holon, May 17, 2011.Heidi Levine/Sipa Press
A team of Israeli surgeons and nurses lead by cardiologist Lior Sasson are seen during the surgical open heart surgery on 9-month-old Abdel-Rahman Ghouti at Wolfson Medical Center located in the central Israeli city of Holon, May 17,2011.Heidi Levine/Sipa Press
Palestinian mother Suad El- Rahman Ghouti and the father Ishmail with their 9-month old son Abdel-Rahman at their home in Rafah, Gaza May 30, 2011.The parents claim that at first they were scared to send their child off to Israel for medical treatment because of the political situation , however, they put their child's health first .Heidi Levine/Sipa Press
Palestinian father Ishmail Ghouti prays at his home in Rafah, Gaza May 30, 2011. His son Abdel-Rahman just weeks ago underwent open heart surgery in Israel under the sponsorship of the Israeli based Save A Child's Heart organization that offers cardiac care to children in developing countries .Heidi Levine/Sipa Press
Palestinian mother Aman Tabasi from Gaza (right) with her four-month -old baby girl named Rahaf; mother Adison from Ghana with her one-year-old daughter named Pamela; and Israeli doctor Ido Leshem in the hospital ward they share together at Wolfson Medical Center located in the central Israeli city of Holon, May 17,2011. Both children are waiting for heart surgery under the program, Save A Heart ,(SACH), the Israeli based international humanitarian project that aims to provide pediatric cardiac care to children in developing countries.Heidi Levine/Sipa Press
Eight-month-old Palestinian baby Nebaa Al- Attar Fayez is escorted by her grandmother Fatma who sits in a wheel chair that has been placed on top of a metal wagon as they are wheeled from the Palestinian side of the Erez checkpoint across the two kilometer encaged passage way to the Israeli side of the checkpoint where they will enter Israel, May 32, 2011. Neba suffers from a severe cardiac condition and her medical treatment is being sponsored by the Israeli based Save A Child's Heart organization . Doctors evaluated the child's condition and scheduled her for open heart surgery in July . Her grandmother escorted the baby instead of the mother because she was too scared to witness her child undergoing medical treatment.Heidi Levine/Sipa Press
Eight-month-old Palestinian baby Nebaa Al-Attar Fayez during an Electocardiography examination (ECG) examination at Wolfson Hospital in Holon, Israel May 31, 2011.Heidi Levine/Sipa Press
Israeli echocardiogram (ECO) technician Yafat Broush during an exam on eight-month-old Palestinian baby Nebaa Al- Attar Fayez at Wolfson Hospital in Holon, Israel May 31, 2011 . Nebaa suffers from a severe cardiac condition and her medical treatment is being sponsored by the Israeli based Save A Child's Heart organization . Today doctors evaluated the child's cardiac condition , Tetrolgoy of Fallot, and scheduled her for open heart surgery in July .Heidi Levine/Sipa Press
Palestinian Hanah Allatar Fayez and her husband Nizzan hold their eight-month-old baby girl Nabaa at their home in Nussarat neighborhood of Gaza May 30,2011. Doctors suspect that Nabba suffers from a serious heart condition called Tetrology of Fallot . Her medical treatment is being sponsored by the Israeli based Save A Child's Heart (SACH) organization based at Wolfson Hospital in Holon . Today she traveled to Israel for evaluation where doctors have scheduled her for surgery at the beginning of July.Heidi Levine/Sipa Press
The board that lists the names, origin, and status of the children who are staying in the home the Save A Heart organization has provided for those both before and after surgery in the central Israeli town of Azur, May 17, 2011.Heidi Levine/Sipa Press
Romanian six-year-old Ionut proudly lifts his shirt to show off his scar from the heart surgery he is recovering from that was performed by Israeli doctors under the Save A Heart organization. The child stays in a home with others from around the world in a home in the central Israeli town of Azur during the prep and post operative stages of the heart surgery.Heidi Levine/Sipa Press